GIFT  OF 

THOMAS    RUTHERFORD  BACON 
AliiMOXlAL   LIBRARY 


'/t^'ts. 


THE 


YOUNG   CHAPLAIN. 


I  feel  that  the  cause  requires  the  sacrifice  of  dearest  interests." 

—  Page  92. 


BY   HIS   MOTHER. 


NEW  YORK: 

N.  TIBBALS  &  SONS,  PUBLISHERS, 

No.  37  PARK  Row. 
1876. 


£-   ^ 


CONTENTS. 


The  Chaplain's  Early  Life— His  Eastern  Home — Trebizond — 
Glimpse  of  the  City — Constantinople — Smyrna — Boyhood 
Correspondence— Editing  Newspapers  —  Kite  Flying — The 
Kosta  Affair — Missionary  Work  and  Times  in  the  Orient. 

Page  5 -33 

Sails  for  America — Voyage  Notes — Arrival  at  Boston— School 
and  College  Days — Teaching  Experiences — Decides  to  En 
ter  the  Ministry — Studies  in  Kentucky — Begins  Preaching- 
Anxiety  over  the  Threatening  Condition  of  the  Country — 
Devotion  to  the  Union  —War  Letters — Enlists  as  a  Soldier. 

Page  39— 96 

Appointed  Chaplain  of  the  I3th  Kentucky  Volunteers — Buell's 
Army — First  Attempt  to  Preach  to  the  Troops — Marches 
and  Skirmishes — Among  the  Enemy's  Pickets  — Leave  of 
Absence-  -Ordained  as  a  Minister— In  the  Field  Again — In 
terest  in  the  Soldiers — Views  of  the  Prayer-Meeting-Faith, 
Courage,  Hope  for  the  Country-— No  Despairing  in  his 
Work — Camp  Exposure — The  Chaplain's  Sudden  Illness — 
Death — Letters  on  his  Life  and  Character.  Page  97 — 138 


284818 


THE  manuscript  for  this  little  work  was  written 
soon  after  William's  death,  but  for  many  reasons  was 
not  printed  at  that  time.  Although  years  have  passed, 
his  friends  still  feel  that  to  have  the  story  of  his  short 
life  before  them  in  print  will  tend  to  strengthen  and 
comfort  their  still  sorrowing  hearts ;  that  the  words  he 
has  spoken,  the  self-sacrificing  spirit  he  manifested  in 
defense  of  his  country,  and,  more  than  all,  his  earnest 
ness,  zeal,  and  fidelity  in  the  cause  of  his  Divine  Mas 
ter,  may  stir  their  hearts — influencing  them  more  and 
more  to  live  as  he  lived,  so  far  as  he  followed  Christ, 
thus  becoming  more  and  more  ready  to  die  as  he  died, 
calmly,  believing,  trusting,  saying  as  he  said,  "  Now, 
if  it  be  the  will  of  God." 

NEW   HAVEN,   CT.,   March   ist,    1876. 


IN  December,  1833,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Johnston  sailed 
from  Boston  in  company  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Schnei 
der,  for  Smyrna,  Asia  Minor,  as  missionaries  of  the 
American  Board  of  Commissioners  for  Foreign  Mis 
sions.  A  voyage  of  forty-seven  days  brought  them  to 
that  city.  From  thence  they  proceeded  to  Constanti 
nople  in  a  sailing-vessel ;  for  at  that  time  there  were 
no  steamers  on  those  seas.  Mr.  Schneider  was  sta 
tioned  at  Broosa.  Mr.  Johnston,  after  some  delay, 
went  to  Trebizond,  occupying  the  station  permanently 
in  the  spring  of  1835. 


William  Curtis  Johnston,  the  subject  of  this  memo 
rial,  was  born  at  Trebizond,   Asia  Minor,  on  the    nth 


of  June,  1839.  He  was  the  second  son  of  Rev. 
Thomas  P.  Johnston  and  Marianne  C.  Howe  Johns 
ton.  His  paternal  ancestors  were  of  Scotch-Irish  de 
scent,  and  settled  in  Iredell  County,  North  Carolina. 
His  paternal  grandmother,  Mary  Hall  Johnston,  was 
a  grand-niece  of  the  well-known  divine,  Dr.  Rob 
ert  Hall,  of  North  Carolina,  from  whose  ancestors 
descended  a  regular  line  of  ministers  of  the  Gospel,  of 
whom  William  was  the  youngest  and  the  last.  His 
maternal  ancestors  were  of  English  descent,  and  settled 
in  New  England.  His  maternal  grandfather,  Curtis 
Howe,  was  born  in  Granville,  Massachusetts,  May  10, 
1772,  married  Sibyl  Phelps,  of  Springfield,  Massa 
chusetts,  and  went  to  Swanton,  Vermont,  where  he  re 
sided  many  years  ;  subsequently  he  removed  to  Ohio. 
He  led  a  long  and  uniformly  Christian  life,  and  died  at 
Grasshopper  Falls,  Kansas,  January  16,  1871,  in  the 
ninety-ninth  year  of  his  age. 


The  city  of  Trebizond  lies  upon  the  southern  shore 
of  the  Black  Sea,  about  600  miles  east  of  Constanti 
nople.  The  population  at  this  time  was  estimated  at 
about  30,000,  composed  principally  of  Turks,  Arme 
nians,  Greeks,  and  Jews.  William's  mother  was  then 
the  only  woman  in  the  place  who  spoke  the  English  lan 
guage.  The  prospect  around  the  city  and  in  the  distance 
is  charming.  The  sea  comes  dashing  in  from  the  north. 
The  peaks  of  the  Circassian  Mountains  rise  in  the  east. 
The  trees  around  the  city  appear  above  the  red-tiled 
roofs  of  the  houses ;  everything  is  inviting  and  cheerful 
till  you  reach  the  interior  of  the  place.  Then  you  come 
into  narrow,  filthy  streets,  walled  in,  and  you  are  at  once 
reminded  that  you  are  in  a  Turkish  city.  On  the  south 
you  will  find  many  by-paths — no  roads — leading  into  the 
country,  the  principal  one  of  which  goes  on  to  Persia. 

The  home  of  William's  childhood  was  remarkably 
quiet  and  secluded.  The  house  in  which  he  was  born 


was  a  stone  structure  inclosed  on  ail  sides  by  a  thick 
stone  wall — so  high  that  we  could  not  view  the  street 
even  from  the  highest  window.  Two  large,  heavy 
gates  opened  communication  through  the  yard,  from 
street  to  street,  secured  inside  by  large  wooden  beams 
drawn  across  them  from  crevices  in  the  wall.  Beyond 
this  inclosure  the  children  were  not  allowed  to  go,  un 
less  accompanied  by  some  trusty  person.  In  the 
yard,  nearly  in  front  of  the  house,  stood  a  large,  beau 
tiful  pomegranate  tree,  under  the  boughs  of  which  the 
little  boy  passed  many  a  playful  hour,  watching,  first, 
the  deep  crimson  blossom,  and  then  the  ripening  fruit. 
When  he  was  nearly  two  years  old  he  had  the  small 
pox.  We  consulted  our  medicine-book  (for  there  was 
no  reliable  physician  in  the  place).  He  grew  worse. 
Providentially,  Dr.  Bell,  of  the  English  Embassy  to 
Persia,  was  passing  through  the  city,  and  was  called  in 
to  see  him.  He  at  once  pronounced  it  the  small-pox, 
and  ordered  the  mother  and  child  into  strict  quaran 
tine.  The  severity  of  the  disease,  however,  had  passed. 


The  eruption  appeared,  and  the  pustules  on  his  little 
hands  seemed  a  perfect  wonderment  to  himself,  and 
furnished  him  while  in  that  lone  place  with  many  an 
hour  of  talk,  after  his  own  fashion. 

The  plague,  too,  raged  fearfully,  for  weeks  and  even 
for  months  at  a  time.  Our  children  were  as  though 
they  were  in  prison.  We  dare  not  come  in  contact 
with  any  one  from  without.  Great  is  the  alarm  when 
this  disease  appears.  The  Christians  flee  in  all  direc 
tions.  The  Mussulman  is  a  fatalist  :  if  he  is  to  die, 
he  will  die  ;  he  does  not  flee.  We  and  our  children 
were  mercifully  preserved  amid  much  suffering  and 
death.  The  family,  during  the  hot  season,  often  re 
sorted  to  the  hills  a  short  distance  from  the  city.  Wil 
liam's  journey  thither  was  performed  in  a  basket  tied 
to  the  side  of  a  mule,  with  his  brother  in  a  basket  on 
the  other  side,  and  a  large  mass  of  bedding  or  other 
baggage  thrown  between  them  upon  the  top  of  the 
animal.  When  all  was  ready,  the  muleteer,  with 
cudgel  in  hand,  drove  on  till  they  reached  the  village. 


IO 

Here  a  native  hut  answered  for  kitchen,  a  corn-crib  for 
bed-room,  and  a  hazel-nut  grove  for  dining-room  and 
parlor.  The  crib  stood  upon  four  posts,  three  feet  or 
more  from  the  ground.  The  floor  was  of  wicker-work, 
and  the  roof  so  low  that  none  but  the  "wee"  little 
ones  could  stand  erect  under  it.  There  the  children 
slept — and  sweetly  too,  for  the  crib  was  clean,  and  free 
from  vermin — which  could  not  be  said  of  the  hut. 
There,  too,  with  no  artificial  walls  to  restrict  their  way, 
the  little  fellows  bounded  from  grove  to  dense  wood, 
following  the  herdsmen  to  the  cool  brook.  It  was  real 
sport  for  young  boys  who  had  been  confined  in  a 
Turkish  city  for  nearly  a  year.  William  had  with  him 
his  American  cards  of  easy  reading,  and  enjoyed  his 
lessons  quite  as  much  as  his  play.  His  love  of  study 
and  books  showed  itself  in  his  first  knowledge  of 
them,  and  the  missionary  mother,  of  all  others,  may  be 
well  content  if  her  boy  loves  study,  for  where  will  she 
find  a  farm  or  work-shop  for  him  ?  The  winter  of  his 
fifth  year  he  read  the  book  of  Psalms  aloud  to  his 


II 

mother.  He  read  in  the  early  evening,  and  was  so 
eager  to  read  too  long,  that  a  certain  number  of  verses 
was  allotted  him  for  each  lesson.  Placing  his  Bible 
upon  the  table,  and  seating  himself  in  his  high  chair 
he  read  in  a  clear,  full  voice,  and  so  earnest  in  expres 
sion,  that  he  seemed  to  catch  a  little  of  the  spirit  of 
the  great  Psalmist  whose  words  he  was  repeating. 

At  this  age  he  could  talk  in  the  Turkish  language 
about  as  well  as  in  the  English,  but  as  soon  as  he 
began  to  read  and  understand  his  own  language  for 
himself,  the  English  soon  got  ahead  of  the  Turkish. 
He  used  the  one  for  convenience  and  the  other  for 
improvement.  He  was  often  out-doors  on  Greek  and 
Turkish  holidays,  where  crowds  of  men,  women,  and 
children  were  assembled  for  recreation  on  the  Medan, 
or  public  square.  The  natives  wore  the  fez  (close  red 
cloth  head-dress),  and  were  often  curious  to  know  what 
our  boys'  hats  were  made  of;  and  when  told,  straw, 
said :  "  We  would  not  wear  seman  (straw)  upon  our 
heads." 


12 

All  were  equipped  in  gay  colors,  sending  forth 
salaams — greetings — and  even  the  poor  beggar  joyed 
over  his  nearly  full  cup  of  paras,  or  coins,  of  which  it 
took  about  eight  to  make  a  penny.  > 

William  often  met  funeral  processions  upon  the 
street.  The  corpse,  sometimes  gayly  and  richly  dressed, 
was  borne  through  the  streets  in  an  open  box,  the 
priests  and  church  boys  following,  bearing  lighted 
tapers.  Then  came  mourning-women  with  loud  lamen 
tation.  At  the  church  the  corpse  was  put  in  a  winding- 
sheet — not  in  a  coffin — and  laid  in  a  shallow  grave.  At 
the  church-gate  was  a  man  with  a  large  copper  platter 
full  of  boiled  wheat,  sprinkled  with  sugar,  a  handful  of 
which  was  given  to  each  one  passing,  in  order  to  secure 
a  prayer  for  the  rest  of  the  soul  of  the  dead. 

In  these  uncivilized  countries  funerals  are  conducted 
in  a  hurried,  careless  manner;  yet  it  is  death,  and  the 
thoughtful  child,  though  young,  will  not  forget  the 
solemn  scene. 

The  arrival  of  missionary  friends  from  America,  on 


13 

their  way  to  Persia,  was  hailed  with  great  joy  by  the 
children.  No  introduction  was  necessary.  They  list 
ened  with  eagerness  to  the  things  they  said  about  the 
land  of  their  fathers.  The  visit  was  worth  more  to 
them,  twice  over,  than  the  same  time  spent  over  books, 
and  the  lone,  monotonous  life  to  which  they  were  sub 
ject  was  broken  in  upon  for  a  little.  The  time,  how 
ever,  seemed  too  short,  for  in  a  few  days  the  boxes 
were  ready,  the  mules  loaded,  and  the  friends  were  off 
— quite  a  little  caravan,  following  on  in  each  other's 
track. 

William's  first  Sabbath  lessons  were  reading  a  chap 
ter  from  the  Bible  with  his  elder  brother  and  sister, 
and  asking  questions  upon  it.  His  questions  were 
generally  ready,  and  showed  that  he  thought  on 
what  he  read,  and  wished  to  understand  it.  No  read 
ing  interested  him  more  than  Bible  history. 

In  1844,  the  family  left  Trebizond  for  Smyrna,  on  the 
eastern  shore  of  the  Mediterranean  Sea.  William  found 


14 

here  a  little  company  of  missionary  children,  whose 
society  was  congenial,  profitable,  and  safe.  It  was  a 
sort  of  new  life.  Many  marks  of  civilization  were  observ 
able.  There  were  many  English  and  French  residents; 
the  Franks,  or  foreigners,  showed  some  energy ;  the  mer 
chants  among  them  had  finely-built  stores,  instead  of 
open  sheds  like  the  Turkish  bazaars.  Willie  now  and 
then  saw  a  carriage,  something  he  had  never  seen  at 
Trebizond.  The  Franks  wore  hats,  and  the  ladies  wore 
bonnets,  but  the  streets  were,  as  they  are  in  all  Turkish 
cities,  narrow  and  filthy.  The  first  Christmas  we  spent 
at  Smyrna  was  a  solemn  day  to  the  children  and  to  us  all. 
Samuel  Riggs,*  one  of  the  missionary  boys,  about  eight 
years  old,  was  buried  on  that  day ;  he  had  fallen  from  a 
terrace,  and  died  in  a  few  hours.  A  few  days  after, 
Miss  Shrewsbury  died.  She  was  a  sister  of  Mrs.  John 
B.  Adger.  These  were  the  first  funerals  the  children 
had  witnessed  among  friends. 


*  Son  of  Dr.  Elias  Riggs. 


15 

The  summer  of  1845,  tne  house  we  were  in  was 
burned.  At  sunset  we  hurried  away,  having  secured 
nearly  all  our  goods.  The  flames  were  rushing  on  be 
hind  us,  and  a  dense  crowd  before  us.  The  little  ones 
were  in  danger  of  beincr  crushed  as  wrell  as  burned.  We 

o  o 

spent  the  night  in  an  open  field,  and  the  next  morning 
went  to  the  village  of  Bournabat,  two  hours  distant  from 
the  city.  Willie's  stay  in  the  village  was  pleasant  and 
healthy.  He  was  much  in  the  open  air,  and  not  hurried 
in  his  lessons,  amusing  himself  watching  the  flocks 
of  sheep  and  goats  following  the  shepherd  over  the  hills. 
He  now  began  to  write  short  notes  to  his  companions, 
and  also  to  older  friends.  Mrs.  Brown  *  took  much  in 
terest  in  the  missionary  children,  writing  them  little 
notes,  which  pleased  them,  and  were  a  source  of  im 
provement.  We  have  not  his  own  notes,  but  give  ex 
tracts  from  those  of  his  friends. 


*  Sister  of  the  late  Commodore  Porter,  and  mother  of  the  late  John  P. 
Brown,  who  was  for  many  years  connected  with  the  American  Legation 
at  Constantinople. 


i6 


"  CONSTANTINOPLE,  Oct.  25,  1845. 

"  MY  DEAR  WILLIAM  :— I  was  surprised  to  receive  such 
a  nice  little  letter  from  you — as  the  only  recollection  I 
have  of  you  is  as  a  little  infant  in  your  mother's  arms  ; 
but,  as  children  do  not  remain  infants,  I  ought  to  have 
remembered  that  that  was  five  or  six  years  ago.  You 
wish  me  to  write  you  in  a  large  hand,  and  I  am  doing 
so,  and  you  must  let  me  know  if  you  can  read  this  let 
ter.  By  what  you  tell  me  of  your  studies,  you  will,  I 
see,  one  day  become  a  learned  man.  Write  to  me  by 
the  next  steamer. 

"  M.  P.  BROWN." 


"TREBIZOND,  Dec.,   1846. 

"  I  am  glad  to  see  you  are  improving  in  your  writing, 
and  I  hope  you  will  try  and  be  a  good  scholar  in  every 
thing.  Little  Hattie  Charnaud  is  a  very  fat  little  girl,  and 
looks  like  her  sister,  Eveline.  Little  Edward  Stevens, 
too,  is  large  enough  to  walk  on  the  Medan.  Mrs. 
Stoddard's  Hattie  in  Ooroomiah  knows  nearly  all  her 
letters.  Mary  Bliss  knows  A  and  O,  but  no  more. 
I  send  you  a  purse — how  would  you  like  to  put  money 
in  it  for  the  poor  heathen  children,  and  see  how  much 
you  will  get  in  the  New  Year,  1847  ? 

"MRS.  E.   E.  B." 


"  ERZROOM,  Jan.  29,  1847. 

"  MY  DEAR  LITTLE  FRIEND  : — Many  days  have  passed 
since  I  received  your  last  letter,  but  you  must  not  sup 
pose  that  it  was  uninteresting  to  me  because  it  has 
remained  a  long  time  unanswered.  You  must  remem 
ber  that  you  are  as  yet  but  a  little  boy,  and  that  Dr. 
Smith  has  a  great  many  friends  older  than  you  to 
whom  he  must  first  pay  attention.  There  are  his  sick 
friends,  for  whom  he  must  prepare  medicine  ;  there 
are  his  missionary  associates,  to  whom  he  must  write 
long  letters  ;  and  there  are  his  Armenian  brethren,  with 
whom  he  must  converse.  Every  week  he  spends  three 
or  four  evenings  in  visits  to  their  houses  ;  and  in  this 
way  he  occupies  much  time  which  it  would  be  very 
agreeable  to  employ  in  writing  to  you.  But  to  explain 
more  fully.  At  one  house  where  I  visit,  there  are 
three  children  whom  I  teach  every  evening,  either 
about  the  multiplication  table,  which  we  used  to  play 
at  Trcbizond,  or  about  some  other  useful  thing.  Now, 
I  want  to  ask  you,  William,  whether  you  are  to  become 
a  learned  man,  and  then  commence  teaching  those  who 
have  ignorant  parents?  If  so,  you  must  write  me  in 
your  next  letter  all  about  it,  and  what  you  are  learning 
nowadays  to  help  you  on.  Gregor,  whom  you  used 
to  know,  is  living  with  me,  and  sends  you,  and  all  your 
family,  much  love. 

"AZARIAH  SMITH." 


i8 

William  was  now  eight  years  old,  a  healthy,  active, 
social,  loving  little  fellow,  very  pleasant  to  us  all.  He 
was  much  interested  in  his  correspondence.  His 
own  notes  cost  him  some  labor.  He  was  not  much 
drilled  in  spelling;  was  told  to  go  to  the  dictionary  and 
learn  how  to  spell  a  word  before  he  wrote  it.  This  was 
rather  a  tedious  rule,  but  very  effectual  ;  for  in  his  first 
writing  we  find  very  few  words  misspelled.  The  boys 
of  the  Mission  were  very  fond  of  boat-making  and  boat- 
sailing  ;  of  kite-making  and  kite-flying ;  you  would  see 
them  on  a  terrace  upon  the  top  of  a  high  house,  their 
.kites  rising  higher  and  higher,  with  the  shout  and  glee 
of  the  player  after  them.  They  often,  too,  had  a  ride 
upon  a  donkey.  This  was  done  up  in  real  Oriental 
.style.  They  had  no  bridles,  and  if  the  driver  perchance 
.lagged  behind,  as  he  often  did,  the  headstrong  donkey 
would  stand  still  in  the  street,  or  run  up  a  bank,  or 
-down  into  a  ditch,  remaining  stationary  until  the  driver 
came  up  ;  then  by  force  of  the  cane  the  donkey  would 
^go  off  on  a  gallop,  and  as  like  as  not,  in  a  moment  or 


two,  be  down  upon  his  fore  legs,  the  rider  tipping 
over  his  head,  and  landing  upon  the  ground.  Another 
favorite  recreation  was  sea-bathing.  A  white-turbaned 
caiquegee  (boatman)  would  row  them  out  \vhere  the 
water  was  deep  and  clear  near  the  shore.  This  was  in 
deed  a  refreshing  exercise  on  hot  summer  mornings, 
such  as  we  had  there. 

The  spring  of  1847,  Mr.  Johnston  left  home  for 
Aleppo,  Aintab,  and  other  places.  His  family  during 
his  absence  spent  the  summer  months  at  Boujah,  a  vil 
lage  east  of  the  city,  about  one  hour  distant.  This 
summer  William  began  writing  a  journal  : 

"  June  1 8,  1847. — Last  Friday  was  my  birth-day,  and  I 
was  eight  years  old.  I  received  a  ball,  a  little  tract,  two 
cherries,  and  a  pair  of  shoes  ;  these  are  the  presents  I  re 
ceived."  "  Yesterday  was  Sunday  ;  we  went  to  Sabbath- 
school  ;  Mr.  Lewis,  the  English  chaplain,  preached.  His 
text  was  in  the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  gth  chapter, 
27th  verse.  He  preached  about  death  in  his  sermon." 

"Last  Monday  we  celebrated  the  5th  of  July  because 
the  4th  was  Sunday.  We  got  up  early  and  went  with 


20 


Samuel  Benjamin  into  the  open  fields  and  picked 
flowers,  and  ornamented  the  rooms  and  the  yard  and 
everywhere,  and  then  waited  for  the  Riggs  and  Ben 
jamins  to  come  ;  but  they  did  not  come  after  all,  be 
cause  they  could  not  get  donkeys.  We  celebrated  it 
by  fighting  the  Revolutionary  War,  and  pulling  clown 
the  statue  of  old  King  George,  and  then  played  all 
sorts  of  things." 

"  Last  week  Mr.  Riggs  received  a  letter  from  Mr. 
Everett ;  the  news  was  that  Mary  Dwight  has  had  a  very 
bad  pain  in  her  head.  She  died  on  Monday  the  5th, 
the  very  same  day  we  were  playing  with  all  our  might 
and  celebrating  the  4th."  "  Mr.  Benjamin  comes  out 
to  hear  brother  Fronty's  Latin  lessons,  because  papa 
has  gone  to  Aintab  to  preach  the  gospel."  "  Every 
day  we  have  a  fine  bath  in  cold  water,  and  it  is  very 
nice,  I  like  it  very  much.  Fronty  is  going  to  the  city 
with  Mr.  B.  Yanni*  has  gone  for  the  donkey.  I  shall 
feel  very  lonely  without  him." 

*  Yanni  was  a  Greek  domestic  who  lived  with  us  the  greater  part  of 
fifteen  years  ;  the  children  were  much  attached  to  him  and  he  to  them. 
He  was  truthful  and  faithful.  He  could  read  a  little,  and  improved  rap 
idly  :  we  read  with  him  in  the  Armeno-Turkish  Bible,  and  he  in  the  Greco- 
Turkish.  He  would  ask  Mr.  Johnston  many  questions — wanted  to  know 
if  the  Bible  taught  as  his  Church  taught.  At  length  he  renounced  many 
of  the  ceremonies  of  the  Greek  Church;  said  of  the  long  fasts,  Bosh — 
empty.  After  we  left  he  lived  with  Mr.  Parsons,  of  Nicomedia,  who 
wrote  us  that  Yanni  gave  evidence  of  being  a  true  believer  in  Christ,  and 


21 


"To-day  is  the  day  for  the  Austrian  steamboat  from 
Constantinople;  I  expect  a  letter  from  Mrs.  Brown. 
We  are  very  careful  not  to  eat  many  grapes  now,  and 
fruit,  because  the  cholera  is  in  Smyrna.  I  hope  to  see 
brother  Fronty's  face  to-morrow.  We  expect  Frances 
Benjamin  here  to-day,  and  I  am  going  to  town.  I  hope 
God  will  keep  Frances  coming  up  here,  and  /going 
down  there,  in  safety.  This  morning,  before  prayers 
or  breakfast,  Fronty  painted  his  ship  black.  At  noon 
he  made  sixteen  cannons  for  his  brig  of  war  Julius 
Ccesar.  Yanni  brought  three  letters,  two  for  me — one 
from  Mrs.  Brown,  and  one  from  Charles  P.  D wight." 
"  Aug.  1 8. — We  have  heard  the  cholera  is  in  Erzroom  ; 
Dr.  Smith  will  tell  us  all  about  it  when  he  comes  to 
attend  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Mission,  which  is  to 
be  at  Smyrna." 

Mrs.  Brown  says,  May  2  :  "  I  have  just  received  your 
letter  of  the  29th,  in  which  you  regret  that  our  corre 
spondence  is  about  to  end  ;  I  am  happy  to  say  that 
that  need  not  be,  as  we  have  given  up  all  idea  of  going 
to  the  United  States  this  summer.  I  am  pleased  that 
you  are  so  fond  of  drawing ;  I  will  continue  to  send 
you  little  sketches  of  mine.  I  had  heard  of  the  mutiny 
on  board  the  Ganges,  and  we  were  well  content  that 


he  wrote  us  himself  that  he  felt  the  love  of  God  in  his  heart.     This  was 
cheerine  news. 


22 


an  overruling  Providence  had  prevented  our  being  in 
her ;  it  is  well  it  did  not  happen  after  they  were  out  in 
the  Atlantic.  You  want  to  know  what  kind  of  an  ani 
mal  the  gazelle  is.  It  is  like  a  very  small  deer,  is  of  fawn- 
color,  with  large,  beautiful  eyes,  and  can  jump  a  yard 
high — straight  up.  It  used  to  follow  Mrs.  Brown  about 
the  house  like  a  child.  Your  little  sister  must  be  very 
interesting,  now  that  she  is  walking  and  learning  to  talk. 
What  would  you  take  for  her  ?  We  have  not  one  child 
about  our  house.  Let  me  know,  and  if  you  don't  ask 
too  much  I  will  try  and  buy  her." 


"  BOUJAH,  July  23.  1847. 

"  DEAR  PAPA :— We  were  all  delighted  with  the 
beautiful  pressed  flowers  you  sent  us,  and  it  was  so 
very  kind  in  Baron  Nishan  to  press  them  for  us.  Our 
American  cousins,  uncles,  and  grandpa  will  be  de 
lighted  to  see  flowers  from  Gethsemane,  and  all  the 
places  around  Jerusalem.  On  brother  F.'s  birthday  he 
had  given  him  the  *  Memoir  of  Harlan  Page,'  five 
piasters  in  gold,  and  eleven  sugar-plums.  On  mamma's 
birthday,  the  present  she  received  was,  our  promise  to 
be  good  children.  Now  I  will  ask  you  some  questions  : 
Who  washes  your  clothes  ?  Who  makes  your  bed  ? 


Who  cooks  your  breakfast,  dinner,  and  supper?  Do 
you  get  grapes,  figs,  etc.,  at  Aleppo?  Tell  Baron 
Nishan  we  thank  him  very  much  for  the  pressed  flow 
ers.  I  hope  you  will  get  to  Aintab  in  safety.  I  am  now 
studying  the  History  of  the  United  States. 

"  Your  affectionate  son, 

"WILLIAM." 


His  father,  on  his  way  between  Aleppo  and  Aintab, 
going  on  a  little  before  his  company,  was  met  by  a 
highway  robber,  who,  pointing  his  gun  at  him,  de 
manded  his  money.  He  spoke  to  him  in  Turkish,  and 
in  some  way  engaged  his  attention  till  the  company 
appeared,  when  the  robber  fled.  His  young  sons  on 
hearing  this  became  alarmed,  and  seemed  to  think  of 
him  only  as  facing  the  robber,  or  meeting  some  new 
danger,  and  finally,  after  waiting  long  and  anxiously  to 
see  him,  on  going  on  board  to  meet  him,  they  could 
hardly  recognize  him,  so  sunburnt  was  his  face,  and  his 
beard  was  so  long. 


"  DECEMBER  9. — We  are  in  town  now.  The  house 
has  three  fountains,  and  a  terrace  upon  the  top.  To 
day,  I  am  to  draw  a  picture  of  the  bark  Niagara. 

"Mr.  Riggs  preached  yesterday.  His  text  was: 
'  Arise  !  shine,  for  thy  light  has  come,  and  the  glory  of 
the  Lord  is  risen  upon  thee.'  Isaiah  xl.  I.  Brother 
Henry  is  very  sick.  I  put  my  flag  half-mast  because 
he  is  sick."  "  I2th. — H.  is  better.  He  expects  Meta 
Benjamin  here  at  twelve  o'clock  to  stay  till  half-past 
four  or  five." 


After  the  hot  season  had  gone  by  and  the  cholera 
subsided,  he  commenced  study  in  earnest ;  this  year  he 
had  some  companions  in  his  studies. 


"  I  am  now  learning  Latin  with  William  Whitall. 
Miss  Howard*  teaches  us.  I  am  also  learning  French. 
A  French  gentleman,  Mr.  Razigio,  is  our  teacher. 
Last  Saturday  we  went  to  Narlee  Kncy.  It  is  a  Turk 


The  late  Mrs.  William  Wood,  of  the  Mahratta  Mission. 


ish  name.  Translated,  it  means  the  Village  of  Pome 
granates.  Papa  has  gone  to  Tocat.  He  went  first  to 
Constantinople,  and  then  he  expected  to  go  to  Sam- 
soon,  and  then  to  Zilleh." 


He  was  now  allowed  to  walk  in  the  street  alone,  and 
began  to  clo  little  jobs  of  work  and  thought  himself 
almost  a  man. 


"  To-day  I  did  not  have  any  Latin  to  learn,  but  I  had 
French  at  noon.  This  afternoon  we  made  a  ship  out 
of  boards,  and  put  a  mast  and  bowsprit  in  her  and  four 
sails.  F.  and  S.  were  the  sailors  and  I  was  the  captain. 
Yesterday  I  went  to  the  English  Church  with  Miss 
Watson.  Mr.  Walters  preached  about  John  the  Bap 
tist.  This  morning  I  cut  twenty-three  sticks  of  wood 
before  breakfast,  and  during  the  day  twenty-nine  more. 
This  is  a  Greek  holiday.  All  the  flags  are  up.  Papa, 
F.,  S..  and  I,  went  to  the  point ;  the  large  new  mill 
they  are  building  was  open.  The  French  steamer  came 
at  noon.  The  Queen  Dowager  is  dead.  I  spinned  my 
top  for  half  an  hour,  and  then  went  to  my  lessons.  At 
sunset  we  went  home  with  John  Delacio  ;  from  there 


26 


we  went  to  meeting.  Very  few  attended.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Van  Lennep  were  there.  Yesterday  was  Sabbath. 
Papa  preached  in  the  Dutch  Chapel.  We  sang  some 
hymns  after  supper,  and  had  prayers  in  Turkish." 


The  following  note  was  written  to  his  brother,  then 
in  Athens,  Greece  : 

"Sept.  30,  1850. 

"  DEAR  BROTHER  : — I  suppose  you  are  in  a  Greek  quar 
antine.  Was  the  sea  rough  any?  Is  Athens  a  better 
city  than  Smyrna  ?  The  A/ton  left  on  Sunday 
morning.  That  pious  Italian  family  which  was  here 
embarked  on  her.  There  is  no  news  by  the  French 
steamer,  except  that  Professor  Webster  is  "executed. 
We  have  a  letter  for  you  from  Mr.  Parsons,  but  the 
paper  is  too  thick  to  send  to  Athens.  The  ships  are 
covered  with  signals.  If  it  is  King  Otho's  birthday,  let 
me  know  what  parade  they  made  there.  This  morning 
we  went  to  bathe  ;  I  know  how  to  swim  now,  though  I 
dare  not  go  beyond  my  depth.  Coming  in  we  had  up  a 
sail,  with  fair  wind,  and  came  home  finely.  There  is  a 


very  strong  Inbat-sea  breeze  ;  I  hope  it  will  bring  in  some 
American    vessels.     I    study    Greek  now." 


The  boys  of  the  Mission  were  now  engaged  getting 
up  small  manuscript  newspapers  arid  circulating  them. 
William  edited  a  newspaper,  of  which  this  is  a  specimen 
copy : 

SMYRNA  STAR. 

MARCH,  1851. 

"Ox  Monday,  the  i;th,  Messrs.  Lawrence,  Hosmer, 
and  Forsythe,  who  travel  in  company,  rode  out  to 
Bournabat  on  donkeys.  The  Doctor  had  a  fall  ;  they 
had  hard  work  to  keep  from  getting  their  legs  jammed 
against  the  wall.  On  Tuesday  the  nth,  Mr.  R.  and 
family,  Mr.  B.'s  children,  and  the  Editor,  took  a  walk 
near  the  Turkish  quarter  of  the  city.  A  party  of  Turk 
ish  boys  demanded  money  ;  we,  refusing — at  first  they 
took  up  big  stones,  and  would  probably  have  hurt  us 
had  not  Mr.  R.  given  them  money.  We  publish  this 
to  show  how  uncivilized  the  Turks  are.  Our  native 
helper,  Haji  Aghasi,  went  inside  the  quarantine  to  see 


if  his  bride,  whom  he  was  expecting,  had  come,  when 
he  was  seized,  and  kept  there  five  days.  It  is  said  he 
tore  his  hair  and  cried  like  a  child.  It  is  not  probable 
he  will  go  inside  the  quarantine  lines  again  to  look  for 
his  bride." 


"  COMMUNICATION  FOR  THE  SMYRNA  STAR. 

"  MR.  EDITOR  : — I  thought  it  might  please  your  read 
ers  to  see  the  story  of  the  escape  of  Mrs.  Wagner  and 
Mrs.  Kossuth  from  Austria.  After  the  defeat  of  the 
Hungarians,  a  reward  of  thirty  thousand  florins  was 
offered  to  any  one  who  would  show  them  where  Mrs. 
Kossuth  was.  Mrs.  Wagner  had  been  with  the  army, 
her  son  being  one  of  Kossuth's  officers,  to  be  near  him 
in  case  he  should  be  wounded.  After  the  treachery  of 
Gen.  G.,  Mrs.  Wagner  narrowly  escaped  with  her  life, 
and  reached  Gov.  Kossuth  with  the  other  refugees  in 
Turkey.  She  then  formed  the  resolution  to  go  into 
the  heart  of  Hungary  and  try  to  rescue  Mrs.  Kossuth, 
not  knowing  where  she  was.  This  she  did  at  the  risk 
of  her  life,  for  a  proclamation  had  been  issued,  that 
whoever  kept  Mrs.  Kossuth  in  their  houses  twenty-four 
hours  was  guilty  of  a  capital  offense." 


29 


"  DOMESTIC  NEWS. 

"  ON  the  28th  of  last  month  we  felt  the  shock  of  an 
earthquake  here.  A  concert  of  prayer  was  held  Mon 
day  the  3d,  and  the  sum  of  104  piasters,  about  five  dol 
lars,  was  collected.  This  will  be  sent  to  Aintab.  We 
should  be  obliged  to  the  editor  of  the  Const  ant  inopoli- 
tan  if  he  would  give  us  more  news  concerning  the  af 
fairs  going  on  in  that  city.  Dr.  Smith  writes  from 
Diarbekir,  that  he  has  very  often  about  fifty  to  attend 
his  meetings.  It  is  a  very  promising  station." 


"FOREIGN   NEWS. 

"AN  exhibition  of  all  the  great  inventions  of  all 
nations  is  to  be  had  this  year  in  London. 

"  The  Austrians  have  forbidden  the  Hungarians  to 
go,  or  to  bring  anything  to  the  exhibition. 

"  The  South  Carolinians  have  decided  in  favor  of 
secession,  and  will  probably  separate  from  the  United 
States  before  long." 


" THESSALONICA,  July  20,  1852. 

"  MY  DEAR  WILLIAM  : — Will  you  accept  our  thanks 
for  your  interesting  paper,  and  furnish  us  with  a  copy 
at  your  convenience.  We  had  an  opportunity  of  com 
paring  the  Star  with  the  Messenger.  It  bears  the  com 
parison  well.  We  think  the  Star  in  the  ascendant. 
This  I  do  not  add  to  flatter  you  or  at  all  depreciate 
the  excellent  Messenger,  but  to  encourage  you  in  your 
enterprise.  On  the  opposite  leaf  of  this  note  is  an 
order  for  the  pay — as  I  understand  the  terms — for  six 

months. 

"Yours,  etc., 

"  J.  W.  PARSONS. 

"  We  like  to  receive  your  newspaper  very  much,  and 
wish  you  to  consider  us  as  subscribers  for  at  least  one 
copy.  And  if  your  editions  are  large  ones,  we  will  take 
two,  and  send  them  to  some  young  friends  in  America." 

Charles  P.  Dwight,  son  of  the  late  Dr.  H.  G.  O. 
Dwight,  early  became  a  true  follower  of  Christ,  and 
labored  faithfully  for  the  salvation  of  his  young  com 
panions.  He  says  : 

"  DEAR  WILLIAM: — It  is  some  time  since  I  wrote  you, 


but  I  have  had  my  hands  full.  The  influenza  entered 
our  family,  and  not  one  escaped.  I  have  had  house 
hold  matters  to  lookfafter — besides,  there  is  a  demand 
for  my  paper,  which  takes  all  my  spare  time  to  supply. 
I  believe  you  asked  me  in  your  last  to  write  principally 
upon  religious  subjects.  I  can  assure  you  that  this  is  no 
hardship  for  me,  if  I  can  by  the  blessing  of  God  be  ena 
bled  to  do  your  soul  good,  even  though  it  be  as  a  grain 
of  mustard-seed.  You  speak  of  your  inability  of  your 
self  to  keep  good  resolutions.  But  are  you  left  to  your 
self?  Is  there  no  way,  nothing  to  help  you  ?  Cannot 
you  trust  God's  promises  to  answer  prayer?  Oh,  that 
the  arrows  of  conviction  might  sink  deep  into  your 
heart,  until  you  can  feel  the  joy  of  believing  in  Jesus." 
"Are  you  still  in  the  same  state  of  mind  as  you  have 
been  for  some  time?  Remember  you  cannot  always  re 
main  in  this  state.  The  Holy  Spirit  will  not  always 
parley  with  you.  You  know  it  is  now  an  important 
time  with  you.  Warm  weather  is  coming  on,  when  all 
sorts  of  distractions  will  strive  hard  with  you — excur 
sions,  travelers,  etc.  The  warm  months  are  always 
very  tempting,  I  have  found,  and  you  will  find  that 
your  heart  will  be  much  farther  from  religion  than 
in  winter."  "January  19,  1852 — I  am  glad  to  hear  your 
paper  has  begun  again  ;  I  like  that  plan  you  told  me  of, 
very  much,  of  editing  extra  papers,  and  I  have  given 
notice  that  such  will  be  issued.  Our  Frontis-piece  was 


drawn  by  an  expert  artist,  with  whom  I  presume  you 
are  not  unacquainted — Rev.  H.  J.  Van  Lennep.  Henry 
Goodell  says,  he  is  Fronty's  agent  ;  and  if  you  think  it 
well,  and  are  not  incommoded  by  it,  will  you  please  be 
my  agent  ?  But  in  these  things,  William,  we  must  not 
be  too  much  taken  up  ;  there  is  one  greater  and  more 
important  theme,  we  should  have  all  the  time  in  our 
minds — the  salvation  of  our  souls,  and  the  glory  of 
God.  If  you  do  truly  love  the  Saviour — what  joy, 
what  love  and  peace,  must  fill  your  mind.  How  pleas 
ant  to  think  of  the  time  when  we  shall  see  him  as  he  is, 
and  be  enabled  to  adore  and  glorify  him  without  the 
clogs  of  the  flesh.  May  the  Lord  make  you  one  of  his 
chosen  disciples,  one  of  his  great  instruments  in  spread 
ing  the  blessed  gospel. 

"  CHARLES  P.  DWIGHT." 


"  FROM  THE  ISLAND  OF  Scio,  June  9,  1851. 

"  DEAR  WILLY  : — From  the  top  of  our  house  we  see 
all  the  sea,  the  town,  and  a  great  deal  of  the  country. 
Oh !  you  could  think  of  nothing  more  beautiful  than 
Scio.  The  waves  roll  upon  the  beach  as  they  did  at 
Trebizond.  Rover,  without  anything  being  thrown,  goes 
into  the  sea,  and  dives  and  gets  out  stones.  Do  come 
to  Scio — do  you  hear — William  ?  Last  Saturday,  papa, 
mamma,  F.,  and  M.  went  to  a  neighboring  monastery  to 


33 


examine  it.  They  saw  blood  on  the  walls  which  could 
not  be  washed  off,  also  human  bones,  and  a  monk,  who 
is  a  hundred  and  eighteen  years  old.  In  that  monas 
tery  several  thousand  people  were  burned  by  the  Turks. 
Next  week  I  shall  see  you— nothing  happening.  Hope 
Mr.  Pengelly  has  not  slipt  us  like  all  the  other  com 
pany.  Have  you  yet  seen  Alfred  Barker  and  Theodore 
Walters  ?  Should  you  see  them  before  I  come,  please 
give  them  my  love.  Excuse  this  scrawl,  as  I  have  no 
table  in  my  room.  I  have  to  write  on  my  knee.  I  am 
sorry  to  leave  the  Island,  but  shall  be  very  glad  to  see 
you. 

«S.  G.  W.  B." 


In  May,  1851,  his  brother,  Frontis,  left  for  America. 
This  placed  him  as  head  man  in  the  family — when  his 
father  was  absent.  He  made  himself  very  useful,  not 
only  in  the  family,  but  wras  often  called  upon  to  assist 
friends  or  travelers  in  any  little  shopping  or  business 
they  wished  to  do  in  the  city.  His  lessons,  letter-writ 
ing,  editorship,  home  work,  out-door  exercise,  etc., 

kept  him  very  busy. 
3 


34 


"  BOURNABAT,  July  5,   1852. 

"  Saturday  the  26th,  at  about  four  o'clock  in  the  morn 
ing,  some  of  the  boys  of  the  English  school  went  to  bathe 
in  the  sea  with  their  French  teacher — Mr.  J.  Decours. 
Mr.  Decours  was  drowned.  He  probably  had  a  fainting 
fit,  for  he  fell  down  under  the  water,  but  rose  again  and 
called  for  help  to  one  of  the  boys,  who  brought  him  a 
life-preserver,  but  which  the  teacher  was  unable  to  hold. 
The  last  words  he  uttered  were,  ma  mere — my  mother. 
He  was  very  much  attached  to  his  scholars,  and  beloved 
by  all  who  knew  him.  He  was  from  Switzerland,  and 
was  between  twenty-two  and  twenty-three  years  of 
age.  He  has  a  widowed  mother,  of  whom  he  was  the 
support,  and  the  news  of  his  death  will  be  a  great  shock 
to  her.  He  was  buried  Sunday  morning  at  Smyrna,  in 
the  Dutch  burying-ground.  It  was  a  very  solemn  funeral. 
The  whole  school  was  there,  and  a  great  many  young 
people  also.  We  hope  that  the  sudden  death  of  their 
teacher  will  be  the  means  of  doing  good  to  his  scholars." 

"  We  have  a  very  efficient  pasha  here  now.  The 
banditti  that  infested  the  suburbs  of  the  city  are 
not  half  so  daring  as  they  used  to  be.  Lately,  four 
were  beheaded  and  twenty-eight  taken  prisoners,  and, 
in  token  of  the  pasha's  joy,  a  salute  was  fired  from  the 
city  battery."  "  The  locusts  have  been  very  numerous 
this  summer,  notwithstanding  the  quantity  of  okes* 

*  A  Turkish  weight ;  nearly  three  pounds. 


35 


which  have  been  caught  and  buried.  Two  or  three 
days  there  were  perfect  clouds  of  them  ;  you  could  hear 
the  buzzing  of  their  wings  very  distinctly.  A  great 
many  have  fallen  into  the  sea,  and  such  numbers  have 
drifted  ashore  in  the  city,  that  it  is  feared  some  dis 
ease  will  arise." 


The  last  summer  William  spent  at  Smyrna  he  wit 
nessed  the  great  excitement  occasioned  by  the  seizure 
of  Martin  Kosta,  the  Hungarian  exile,  by  the  Captain 
of  the  Austrian  brig  of  war  Hussar.  The  United 
States  sloop  of  war  St.  Louis,  Captain  Ingraham, 
had  just  arrived  in  the  harbor  of  Smyrna.  Kosta  was 
in  chains  on  board  the  Hussar.  Captain  Ingraham 
demanded  his  release,  but  the  Austrian  commander  re 
fused  to  give  him  up.  The  two  ships  then  prepared  for 
battle.  The  people  of  the  city  rushed  to  the  shore  to 
witness  the  fight.  William  too  was  there,  waving  his  lit 
tle  American  flag.  He  wrote  a  full  account  of  the  scene 
in  his  senior  year  at  college,  the  sequel  of  which  is  in 
these  words  : 


"  The  Captain  of  the  Hussar  thought,  at  first, 
he  would  fight,  but  he  could  see  the  Americans  were 
preparing  to  give  him  red-hot  shell,  and  his  heart 
fainted  within  him.  He  sent  to  Captain  Ingraham  a 
sulky  message,  telling  him  to  come  and  get  Kosta. 
Captain  Ingraham  replied  that,  as  they  had  taken  Kos 
ta  from  the  shore,  they  should  take  him  back.  The 
Austrians  may  have  thought  this  was  adding  insult  to 
injury;  nevertheless,  they  still  continued  to  think  that 
discretion  was  the  better  part  of  valor.  At  a  little  be 
fore  four  o'clock,  P.  M.,  July  2,  1853,  Kosta,  loosed  from 
his  chains,  was  let  down  from  the  Hussar  into  a  boat, 
and  rowed  by  six  Austrian  sailors  to  the  landing-place 
of  the  French  Consul.  Immediately  two  American 
boats  swept  from  the  St.  Louis,  and  flanked  the  boat 
on  either  side.  The  band  on  board  the  St.  Louis 
struck  up  "  Hail  Columbia."  Soon  the  three  boats 
reached  the  shore,  where  thousands  on  thousands  were 
gathered  to  welcome  the  rescued  captive.  As  the  Amer 
ican  officers  handed  Kosta  from  the  boat  to  the  shore, 
cheer  after  cheer  went  up  from  that  great  throng,  such  as 
never  before  had  fallen  upon  the  city  of  Homer's  birth  ; 
and  some  voices  were  English,  and  some  French  ;  some 
were  Italian,  and  some  Hungarian  ;  some  were  Greek, 
and  some  American ;  but  they  all  joined  in  sounding 
the  praises  of  America." 


37 

Rumors  of  the  approaching  Crimean  war  were  now 
spreading  through  the  East. 


FROM    MRS.    AZARIAH   SMITH. 

"ORTA  KNEY,  July  8,  1853. 

"  When  I  was  coming  through  the  Dardanelles  I 
passed  the  English  and  Turkish  fleets  just  below  the 
mouth.  After  I  arrived  here  I  saw  the  Messenger,  a 
steamer  which  runs  between  the  fleet  and  the  palace  of 
the  English  Ambassador.  Mr.  Dwight  told  me  it  had 
been  up  to  the  palace  with  dispatches,  to  inform  the 
Ambassador  that  the  Russians  had  really  entered  the 
Turkish  provinces  with  their  army,  and  to  know  if  the 
fleet  should  proceed  to  the  Black  Sea.  It  may  be  some 
time  before  war  will  commence,  even  if  they  do  not 
conclude  to  make  peace  without  it ;  so  you  need  not 
make  your  home  on  the  man-of-war  at  present.  The 
men  who  went  to  Smyrna  with  dispatches  from  Mr. 
Brown  to  Captain  Ingraham  came  back  on  the  same 
steamer  on  which  I  came  up.  The  Americans  here  are 
exulting  at  the  success  of  the  demand  made  on  the 
Austrians  by  the  Americans.  I  hope,  dear  William, 
that  while  your  mind  is  so  much  filled  with  thoughts 


about  war  between   men   you  will  not  forget  to  fight 
with  the  foe  which  is  found  in  your  heart." 


In  the  early  part  of  1853,  his  friend  and  correspond 
ent,  Charles  P.  Dwight,  was  suddenly  called  away  by 
death  ;  this  was  a  severe  blow  to  William,  and  to  all  his 
companions.  One  of  them  writes  from  Constantinople  : 


4<  O  William  !  You  don't  know  how  much  we  are 
afflicted  by  Charles's  death — it  was  so  sudden — we 
buried  him  a  week  ago.  Yesterday  was  his  birth-day, 
and  he  and  I  were  both  anticipating  our  birth-days  with 
pleasure.  I  hope  we  shall  all  take  this  to  heart." 

"  I  am  gloriously  out  of  sorts,"  says  a  correspondent, 
"  with  the  rascally  Austrians,  and  very  sorry  another 
opportunity  has  passed  without  chastising  them.  We 
and  everybody  expect  war  between  Russia,  France, 
England  and  Turkey.  The  Czar  has  ordered  all  the 
Russian  residents  at  London  to  leave  immediately  on 
the  breaking  out  of  hostilities.  The  English  and 
French  fleets  will  come  up  here,  when  a  division  of  each 
will  go  to  the  Black  Sea.  The  Turks  have  some  40 


39 


vessels  at  Buyukdere.  The  French  fleet  has  10,000 
troops  on  board,  and  the  English  8,000.  All  the  Yan 
kee  Constantinopolitans  are  invited  by  Mr.  Brown  to 
Greek  Sue — or  the  heavenly  waters  of  Asia — to  spend  the 
4th  in  a  becoming  manner.  Mr.  Brown  will  read  the 
Declaration  of  Independence,  and  an  American  gentle 
man,  a  member  of  the  New  York  House  of  Represent 
atives,  will  deliver  a  speech." 

NOTE  FROM   HIS   GRANDPA  JOHNSTON. 

"  NEAR  NEWCASTLE,  TEXN.,  June  i,  1853. 

"  Altho'  grandpa  has  never  seen  his  grandson  Wil 
liam,  yet  he  loves  him,  and  often  thinks  about  him,  and 
prays  for  him  that  he  may  be  a  good  boy,  and  give  his 
heart  to  God  and  learn  to  do  his  will.  Grandpa  has 
become  very  hard  of  hearing  ;  has  very  little  satisfac 
tion  talking,  cannot  hear  any  preaching,  and  is 
more  than  seventy  years  old  Will  William  let  his 
grandpa  have  good  reason  to  hope  that  he  will  meet 
his  grandson  in  heaven  ?  " 

In  the  spring  of  1853  his  mother  and  eldest  sister 
sailed  for  the  United  States.  William,  with  his  father 
and  the  younger  children,  remained  until  the  autumn  of 
the  same  year,  when  they  also  embarked  for  America. 


"  BEBECK,  June  29,  1853. 

"  DEAR  WILLIE  : — Many  thanks  for  your  letter.  We 
had  a  very  busy  time  of  it  during  the  annual  meeting. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jevvett  were  with  us  about  a  week.  Our 
house  is  very  near  Mr.  Schauffler's ;  as  we  were  just  at 
the  window  we  heard  them  singing  there.  It  sounded 
sweetly.  We  were  very  pleasantly  surprised  to-day  by 
a  visit  from  Baron  Pedros."  "  So  you  are  going  to  Amer 
ica,  and  we  shall  not  have  you  for  neighbors  any  more, 
either  at  Smyrna  or  Constantinople.  Well,  I  do  not 
wonder  you  are  glad,  for  I  think  I  should  be  glad  if  we 
were  going.  I  hope  among  all  your  new  friends,  you 
will  not  forget  your  old  ones.  I  don't  know  whether  I 
told  you  about  our  Sabbath  afternoons,  which  I  enjoy 
very  much.  We  have  a  Bible-class  at  three  o'clock  at 
Mr.  Schauffler's.  Then  we  older  children  have  a  meet 
ing  by  ourselves,  and  at  five  a  Bible-class  in  Greek. 
How  glad  I  should  be  if  we  could  see  you  once  more 
before  you  leave  your  Eastern  home.  When  you  get 
to  America,  I  hope  you  will  tell  how  things  seem  to 
you  there,  and  all  about  your  voyage. 

"E.  R." 

"  You  are  going  to  leave  us,"  says  a  friend,  "  and  we  are 
all  very  sorry,  but  I  suppose  you  are  very  happy  to  go 
to  that  good  land  of  your  fathers,  of  which  you  have 


heard  so  much.  I  trust  you  will  have  the  blessing  of 
the  Lord  in  all  your  way,  and  be  brought  safely  there. 
I  hope  you  will  ever  remember  and  pray  earnestly  for 
his  presence,  for  you  know  every  enjoyment  of  this  life 
is  worth  very  little  without  the  blessing  of  God.  If 
you  consecrate  your  early  and  best  years  to  his  service, 
perhaps  he  will  confer  on  you  the  privilege  of,  by  and 
by,  forsaking  parents,  and  brothers,  and  sisters,  for  his 
sake,  to  promote  his  cause  in  some  of  the  dark  places 
of  the  earth — perhaps,  in  the  land  of  your  birth.  The 
Lord  bless  you,  and  make  you  his  on  earth  and  in 
Heaven." 


On  leaving  Smyrna,  William  bade  good-by  to  the 
pleasant  associations  and  scenes  of  his  childhood.  He 
had  already  been  quite  a  little  voyager,  having  crossed 
nearly  the  whole  length  of  the  Black  Sea  five  times, 
and  the  Marmora  and  Archipelago  once. 

VOYAGE  TO  AMERICA. 

"  We  came  on  board  the  bark  Mimosa,  Capt.  King, 
bound  for  Boston,  on  Monday  evening,  September  19, 
1853.  Our  party  consisted  of  Messrs.  Stocking,  Crane, 
and  Johnston,  with  their  families  ;  in  all,  five  adults  and 


ten  children.  We  beat  out  of  the  Gulf  under  a  west 
erly  breeze  in  company  with  a  French  bark,  which  we 
beat  all  hollow.  A  breeze  sprung  up  from  the  north, 
which  carried  us  along  nicely.  Soon  Mitylene  and 
Psara  were  in  sight.  We  passed  the  Dora  Passage,  and 
in  the  morning  St.  George's  Island  and  Greece  were  in 
view.  Sabbath,  25th. — Papa  preached  at  ten  o'clock— 
the  captain  attended.  At  eleven  o'clock,  a  hundred 
vessels  were  in  sight.  Wednesday  we  had  a  severe 
gale.  In  the  afternoon  papa  had  Sunday-school  with 
the  children. 

"  October  2. — Sunday  night  we  cleared  Cape  St. 
Angelos  ;  in  the  morning,  Cerigo,  Candia,  Cerregatta, 
and  other  small  islands  were  in  sight.  Thursday  the 
captain  pointed  out  Malta  on  our  starboard  bow. 
H.  and  I  were  confined  to  our  berths  pretty  much 
all  day.  Lizzie  tumbled  down  the  cabin  stairs.  The 
captain  complained  of  squalls  below.  He  evidently 
prefers  squally  weather  to  squally  children.  We  have 
very  fine  clear  weather.  6th. — This  morning  com 
pletes  two  weeks  of  our  passage,  and  we  are  not  yet 
half  way  across  the  Mediterranean.  Cape  Bon  is  in  sight. 
Nineteen  days  out  ;  Majorca  and  Minorca  in  sight. 
Thursday  we  came  in  sight  of  Sicily  ;  we  saw  a  few 
fishing-boats,  and  one  came  quite  near  us.  Wednesday 
we  were  not  crowded  at  table.  The  little  ones  keep 
their  center  of  gravity,  now  leaning  to  one,  and  now  to 


43 


the  other  side.  I  have  made  Willie  Stocking  a  little 
ship;  it  sails  quite  well  in  the  cabin  in  rough  weather. 
Off  Cape  Palos:  twenty-two  days  out.  This  morning 
we  put  on  a  new  foretop  and  maintop  gallant  sail,  they 
having  split  in  the  gale  off  Majorca.  Yesterday  after 
noon  stood  at  the  helm  a  quarter  of  an  hour.  The 
coast  of  Spain  is  very  high  all  around  as  far  as  we  can 
see." 

Before  leaving  Smyrna  a  note  was  put  into  some 
one's  keeping.to  be  handed  to  him  between  Malta  and 
Gibraltar. 

"  September  14. 

"  By  the  time  this  reaches  you,  you  will  be  far,  far 
away  on  the  blue  Mediterranean.  It  will  be  very  hard 
to  think  of  you  anywhere  but  in  Smyrna.  Are  you 
much  sea-sick?  Do  you  read  much  on  board?  Do  you 
keep  a  journal?  I  wonder  whether  you  will  see  any 
whales.  I  dare  say  you  are  very  anxious  to  get  to 
America.  Please  give  my  love  to  M.  and  V.  Good-by, 
Willie.  Don't  forget  your  friend.'^ 

"De  Gat,  or  Gata,  in  sight — so  named  from  its  re 
semblance  to  a  cat.  However,  we  do  not  perceive  it.  We 
saw  a  good  many  huge  black  fish  spouting  up  water." 

"  We  have,  at  last,  passed  the  Cape  de  Gat,  having 


44 


been  in  sight  of  it  for  six  days.  2Oth. — We  hailed  the 
Dutch  bark  Antonita,  and  in  the  evening  we  were  also 
close  up  to  the  Race-Horse  (of  Boston).  We  are  now 
under  two  royals  tacking  back  and  forth  along  the 
coast.  Malaga  in  sight,  with  a  light,  half-filling  breeze. 
Yesterday  we  spoke  the  Race-Horse — Captain  Searls. 
We  could  talk  very  easily  without  a  trumpet.  We 
saw  Mrs.  Searls  and  her  little  girl.  Captain  said 
it  was  reported  that  there  was  war.  24th. — Straits 
of  Gibraltar,  opposite  Tarifa.  Sabbath,  Mr.  Stocking 
preached,  and  papa  had  Sabbath-school  with  us  in  the 
afternoon.  We  reached  the  Rock  by  two  o'clock,  and 
lay  to  there,  the  captain  not  wishing  to  go  in  at  night 
time.  We  had  a  good  view  of  the  Rock.  There  are 
batteries  built  on  rocks  all  along  the  level  of  the  water. 
It  seems  truly  formidable.  About  seven  A.  M.  we 
rounded  the  point,  and  the  white  houses  of  the  pretty 
village  of  Algerica  shone  brightly  in  the  sun.  Soon  we 
saw  St.  Roque's,  and  the  City  of  Gibraltar.  I  picked 
out  two  barks  which  I  said  were  American.  As  we 
entered,  they  hoisted  their  flags.  They  were  the 
Ouba  of  Beverly,  and  the  Eutazv  of  Boston.  Soon 
after  we  anchored,  the  quarantine  officers  came  along 
side  ;  also  a  man  who  brought  us  some  fruit.  We  sent 
our  casks  for  water,  and  ordered  provisions,  which  we 
got  at  one  o'clock.  The  captain  gave  the  order-man 
the  windlass,  and  soon  we  were  under  weigh." 


45 

The  ship  arrived  in  Boston  the  latter  part  of  Novem 
ber.  Though  William  was  happy  in  the  thought  of  com 
ing  to  America,  on  reaching  here — like  many  a  mission 
ary  child — he  felt  a  little  "home-sick."  Could  he  have 
met  some  of  his  native  friends  in  their  own  familiar  cos 
tumes,  or  the  Greek  man,  "  Yanni,"  who  for  years  had 
been  one  of  the  household,  or  the  hamal  (porter)  with 
a  basket  of  grapes  on  his  back,  or  the  old  kappoogi 
(door-keeper)  in  the  court — could  he  have  stood  upon 
the  terrace,  or  mounted  a  donkey,  or  met  a  drove  of 
camels,  or  even  have  heard  the  babel  of  language  in  the 
street,  all  this  would  have  been  so  homelike. 

After  visiting  with  friends  a  few  weeks,  he  was  sent 
with  his  brother  to  Bloomfield,  New  Jersey,  to  the  school 
for  boys,  in  charge  of  Mr.  Charles  Davis.  Although  he 
had  not  had  the  advantage  of  attending  schools  in  the 
East,  he  did  not  find  much  difficulty  in  maintaining  his 
stand  in  the  different  classes  in  which  he  was  placed  in 
this  school.  He  was  presented  by  his  teacher  with  a 
copy  of  the  "  Standard  Speaker,"  on  taking  the  first  prize 


46 

in  composition.  At  the  close  of  the  winter  session,  he 
left  Bloomfield  for  Salem,  Massachusetts,  where  his 
parents  had  sought  a  temporary  home  for  the  family. 
Here  he  entered  the  Latin  school  for  boys  in  charge  of 
Oliver  Carlton,  Esq.,  preparatory  to  entering  college. 
The  two  years  and  a  half  he  spent  in  Salem  were  among 
the  happiest  of  his  life.  He  found  kind  friends  all  around. 
Besides  having  pleasant  companions  of  his  own  age,  he 
became  acquainted  with  some  young  men  older  than 
himself,  who  were  companionable  and  social,  and  their 
influence  over  his  young  mind  was  very  happy,  salutary, 
and  Christian.  The  Sabbath-school  he  attended  regu 
larly.  The  study  of  the  word  of  God  was  a  part  of  his 
chief  study.  When  he  left  the  school,  he  received  from 
his  teacher,  Mr.  John  Dike,  the  "  Life  of  Calvin,"  as  a 
reward  for  committing  to  memory  the  Shorter  Cate 
chism.  His  leisure  hours  were  occupied  in  various  ways. 
He  was  newspaper  carrier  for  a  while.  The  cold,  to  which 
he  was  not  used,  seemed  too  severe  for  this  sort  of  work, 
but  he  persevered  in  it  for  the  season.  In  the  spring 


47 

of  1855,  there  being  a  small  garden  attached  to  the 
house,  he  began  raising  vegetables.  In  this  he  suc 
ceeded  so  well,  that  one  of  his  friends  congratulated 
himself  on  having  had  a  splendid  dinner  on  a  dish  of 
fresh  corn  from  Willie  Johnston's  garden.  He  found 
also  valuable  friends  among  the  ladies  of  Salem,  who 
were  interested  in  him,  and  for  him,  aiding  and 
encouraging  him  in  his  work  of  preparing  himself  for 
usefulness.  One  mother  in  Israel,  was  always  doing  him 
good.  She  followed  him  through  his  college  course 
with  her  prayers,  her  good  advice,  and  many  kindnesses. 
In  July,  1856,  he  went  with  his  brother  F.,  who  was 
then  at  Salem,  to  New  Haven,  Connecticut,  to  pass  the 
required  examination  for  entering  Yale  College.  On 
informing  Mr.  Carlton  of  his  admittance  into  college,  he 
received  the  following  note  : 

"  SALEM,  September  i,  1856. 


"  MY  DEAR  WILLIAM  : — Your  letter  of  the  iQth  ult. 
was  duly  received,  and  I  was  glad  to  hear  that  you  sue- 


48 


ceeded  so  nicely  in  your  examination.  And  now  your 
future  success  in  college  and  in  life  will  depend  on  your 
own  exertions.  Diligence,  perseverance,  and  correct 
deportment  will  certainly  secure  it.  I  do  not  recom 
mend  to  you  to  engage  in  the  strife  for  college  honors, 
but  I  do  earnestly  urge  it  upon  you  to  form  and  main 
tain  an  unalterable  resolution  to  be  a  good  scholar — to 

do  your  best  always. 

"  Yours, 

"  O.  CARLTON." 

A  friend  writes : 

"  I  shall  be  quite  anxious  to  hear  of  your  prosperity 
as  a  student,  and  my  great  desire  is,  that  you  may  take 
a  high  stand,  and  your  character  remain  to  the  end  of 
college  life  untarnished  by  the  slightest  shade." 


"The  last  time  I  heard  from  you"  (says  a  Salem 
friend)  "  you  were  round  among  the  lions.  Have  you 
seen  any  yet?  You  should  have  been  here  last  Sunday 
to  help  your  fellow  '  basses,'  and  also  to  sustain  the 
reputation  of  the  choir.  The  leader  being  absent,  we 
started  off  on  our  own  hook.  Nevertheless,  the  singing 
was  very  good.  One  of  the  congregation  said  it  was 
'  tip-top.'  You  would  like  to  have  been  with  us  at 


49 


Pine  Grove  the  other  afternoon,  at  the  choir's  picnic. 
There  were  about  fifty  in  all.  We  had  six  pieces  of 
Gilmore's  band.  All  marched  in  procession  to  supper, 
headed  by  the  band,  in  military  style,  '  left  foot  first/ 
etc.,  etc.  Some  of  the  party  rode  home,  while  fifteen 
or  twenty  of  us  walked,  and  had  a  nice  sing  on  the 
bridge. 

"  Charley  W.  was  glad  to  hear  that  you   had  joined 
the  brothers  in what  is  it  ?  " 


He  was  seventeen  years  old  a  short  time  before  he 
entered  college.  He  appeared  boyish,  and  was  very 
original  in  his  manner. 

He  was  one  of  the  speakers  on  the  freshman  prize 
debate.  One  of  his  classmates  remarked  that  one 
great  difficulty,  while  speaking,  seemed  to  be  as  to 
where  he  should  keep  his  arms.  They  went  every 
which  way,  and  Professor  Silliman,  Sen.,  one  of  the 
umpires,  shook  his  sides  laughing.  His  prompter 
could  not  keep  the  place,  for  in  the  excitement  of 
delivering  his  speech  he  did  not  follow  the  manuscript, 
but  launched  out  extemporaneously,  suiting  his  ges- 


50 

tures  to  the  words  as  they  occurred  at  the  moment. 
For  this  effort  he  received  the  third  prize.  His  whole 
course  through  college  was  marked  by  an  unflinching 
determination  to  accomplish  what  he  undertook.  In 
working  out  his  mathematical  problems,  when  he 
became  tired  of  every  other  position,  he  would  down 
upon  the  floor  full  length,  on  his  breast,  and  the 
question  was  solved. 

The  summer  vacations  of  1858  and  1859  ^e  taught 
a  select  school  of  twelve  weeks  each  year,  at  North 
Windham  and  Mansfield,  Connecticut.  This  rendered 
college  duties  very  laborious,  especially  the  latter  part 
of  the  fall  term. 

Aside  from  study,  he  took  a  part  in  almost  every 
thing  going  on  in  college  ;  interesting  himself  in  class 
and  college  societies,  writing,  debating,  etc.,  etc.  It 
was  often  a  question  at  home  when  Willie  got  his  class 
lessons. 

It  was   interesting  on  presentation  day  to  see  the 


boys  of  '60,  one  hundred  and  eight  in  number,  bid 
ding  each  other  good-by.  They  thought  they  had 
stout  hearts,  and  the  tear  would  not  start,  but  with 
many  of  them  it  did.  And  when  in  procession  they 
proceeded  to  the  houses  of  the  president  and  professors 
to  give  the  farewell  cheer,  friends  were  listening,  were 
looking  on  and  querying :  What  will  be  the  future 
career  of  these  young  men  ?  Who  of  them  will  live 
to  good  purpose  and  honor  old  Yale?  Who  of  them 
will  live  to  no  good  purpose,  a  dishonor  to  their 
class  and  Alma  Mater?  And  who  of  them  will  soon 
be  called  to  die?  Before  their  triennial  meeting,  four 
of  them  were  laid  in  the  grave. 

At  the  junior  exhibition  of  his  class  he  walked  to 
the  stand  arm  in  arm  with  one  who,  like  himself,  was 
born  in  Turkey.  They  were  near  the  same  age, 
James  *  being  about  three  months  older  than  William. 
Their  associations  in  childhood  were  similar.  They 

*  Rev.  James  H.  Schneider,  Chaplain  of  the  Second  Regiment,  U.  S 
Colored  Troops.     Died  at  Key  West,  Florida,  April  25,  1864. 


52 

were  in  the  same  class  at  college.  Their  love  for  each 
other  grew  stronger  and  stronger.  Their  love  for 
country  was  one.  They  both  died  to  save  it.  In  a 
moment  they  are  not,  for  God  took  them.  Their 
immortal  life,  which  they  began  so  nearly  together,  we 
cannot  doubt  will  be  one — one  of  unending  peace  and 
joy  and  triumph. 

It  was  not  until  his  first  year  in  college  that  he 
expressed  a  decided  hope  in  Christ.  The  winter  of 
1857,  many  of  his  fellow  students  were  inquiring  after 
truth.  He  spoke  of  the  interest  some  of  his  classmates 
expressed  in  his  spiritual  welfare, 'and  remembered 
them  with  gratitude.  He  was  always  a  conscientious, 
serious-minded,  and  a  Bible-reading  boy.  Outwardly  his 
life  was  very  much  the  same  before  as  after  his  public 
profession  of  faith  in  Christ.  Whatever  his  state  of 
mind  might  have  been  before  this,  the  necessity  was 
now  laid  upon  him  to  come  out  from  the  world  and 
devote  himself  actively  to  the  service  of  Christ.  He 
joined  the  college  church,  with  other  students,  March, 


53 

1858.  Having  finished  his  college  course,  he  made  a 
trip  on  foot  first  to  Mansfield,  Connecticut,  thence  to 
Rockville,  Medvvay,  Boston,  Salem,  Middleton,  and 
Andover,  Massachusetts,  walking  thirty,  and  nearly 
forty  miles  a  day,  visiting  friends  between  the  marches, 
the  distance  from  New  Haven  being  about  one  hundred 
and  fifty  miles.  This  was  the  last  visit  to  these  pleas 
ant  friends. 

On  his  return  he  called  at  Brookfield,  Massachusetts, 
to  see  the  family  of  Mrs.  Benjamin,  his  old  Smyrna 
friends,  spending  a  day  or  two  with  them  very  pleas 
antly;  he  also  bade  them  a  final  good-by. 

After  graduating,  he  again  taught  in  Mansfield.  On 
arriving  there,  he  says:  "  I  am  boarding  at  Mr.  William 
Trumbull's.  It  is  very  quiet  here.  The  house  is  only 
a  few  steps  from  the  school.  I  opened  school  Monday 
with  twenty-seven  scholars,  and  am  expecting  more. 
I  was  not  well  Monday  and  Tuesday.  The  mornings 
and  evenings  are  cool,  and  the  noons  are  very  hot." 

In  his  pupils  he  interested  himself,  not  only  as  a  teach- 


54 

er,  but  as  a  friend  and  companion,  while  in  school  hours 
good  discipline  was  enforced.  At  recess,  he  was  often 
with  them  upon  the  play-ground,  doing  his  best  to  out 
strip  them  in  the  race.  He  introduced  debating,  and 
other  societies,  which  furthered  their  improvement  in 
both  writing  and  speaking,  and  on  leaving,  he  still 
kept  up  his  interest  in  his  friends,  corresponding  with 
quite  a  number  of  them.  The  following  extracts  were 
addressed  to  one  of  his  pupils,  a  young  boy  toward 
whom  he  cherished  a  warm  attachment : 

"  In  the  first  place,  Fred,*  how  are  you  ?  It  is  now 
ten  days  since  I  left ;  I  have  been  getting  this  bundle 
up  at  odd  moments,  and  it  has  taken  more  length  of 
time  than  I  thought  it  would.  I  have  enjoyed  gather 
ing  together  these  books  and  pictures  for  my  scholars 
very  much  indeed.  Some  may  call  it  a  weakness,  but  I 
like  to  take  up  the  little  mementoes  of  the  scholars  I 
have,  and  to  think  over  our  studies,  and  our  plays,  our 
meetings,  our  rides,  and  all.  The  picture  I  send  you  is 
a  first-rate  view  of  Yale  College  buildings.  There  are 
three  bindings  with  spires  or  towers,  as  you  see.  The 

*  Frederic  Barrows,  of  Mansfield,  Connecticut.     Now  deceased. 


55 


middle  one  is  where  I  recite,  and  make  daily  exhibi 
tions  of  my  ignorance,  affording  considerable  amuse 
ment  to  my  classmates.  I  console  myself  with  the 
thought  that  they  couldn't  calculate  latitude  through  a 
waterduct.  I  don't  know  as  this  picture  will  interest 
you  especially — take  it,  however,  as  an  expression  of 
my  wish  to  thank  you  for  your  good  recitations,  espe 
cially  in  Algebra,  and  for  your  last  composition,  which 
pleased  me  very  much.  I  hear  from  *  William  the  Critic,' 
and  others,  that  you  voted  to  hang  Brown.  We  did  the 
?ame  in  the  '  Brothers,'  by  a  majority  of  one.  The 
President,  however,  decided  in  favor  of  not  hanging. 
Did  that  Coventry  team  come  over  to  discuss  the  ques 
tion  on  Napoleon,  the  night  after  I  left  ?  How  does  the 
new  debating  society  flourish?  Doesn't  it  bring  out 
the  older  ones  much  more  than  before?  Did  you  take 
any  part  in  '  Gamma  Nu  '  after  I  left  ?  Don't  you 
study  history  now?  " 


FROM  THE  LATE  REV.  AUGUSTUS  WALKER,  OF 
DIARBEKIR. 

"KHARPUT,  September  26,  1860. 

"  Now  that  you  have  graduated,  I  hope  you  ask 
counsel  of  the  Lord  as  to  your  future  course,  and  will 
be  glad  to  do  whatever  he  shall  wish.  This  is  the  wise, 
and  this  the  safe,  and  this  the  happy  course.  Loving 


the  Lord  Jesus,  you  will  delight  to  keep  close  to  him, 
so  will  you  be  greatly  blessed,  and  what  is  even  better, 
in  a  world  of  probation — a  great  blessing.  I  was  very 
glad,  dear  William,  to  see  your  name  in  the  papers  as 
a  prize  orator  in  the  '  Brothers,'  my  own  society,  in  my 
own  loved  Alma  Mater.  You  have  seen  Dr.  Pratt,  and 
will  soon  see  Mr.  Marsh,  and  they  will  tell  you  all  about 
us.  Mr.  Dunmore  was  with  us  in  Diarbekir  only  a  few 
months.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Nutting  now  expect  to  return 
to  Diarbekir  from  Bitlis  this  fall.  We  came  this  spring 
to  Kharput  to  attend  the  annual  meeting  of  the  North 
Armenian  Mission."  "  I  could  not  help  writing,  to  thank 
you  for  your  good  letter,  and  to  tell  you  how  much  we 
love  you." 

William  had  now  determined  on  making  the  preach 
ing  of  the  Gospel  of  Christ  the  work  of  his  life  ;  and  soon 
after  the  closing  of  his  school  at  Mansfield,  in  Novem 
ber,  1860,  he  went  to  Kentucky,  and  entered  the  Theo 
logical  Seminary  at  Danville,  in  that  State.  On  his 
way  South,  he  visited  his  grandfather  Howe,  at  Gran- 
ville,  Ohio,  who  was  eighty-nine  years  of  age,  and  whom 
he  had  not  yet  seen.  On  reaching  Danville,  he  writes 
to  New  Haven : 


57 


"  Jan.  3,  1861. 


"  DEAR  MOTHER  : — It  seemed  to  me  a  long  time 
getting  a  letter  from  home ;  I  suppose  it  is  a  sign 
that  I  love  you  all.  Christmas,  I  walked  out  to  Paint 
Lick,  a  distance  of  twenty-two  miles.  I  had  a  splendid 
time,  riding,  walking,  singing,  etc.  Danville  is  quite  a 
pretty  place  of  about  five  thousand  inhabitants,  and  has 
besides  the  seminary,  a  college,  two  large  girls'  board 
ing  schools,  and  many  minor  institutions  of  learning. 
I  have  enjoyed  very  fine  health,  and  am  very  glad  I 
came  here  when  I  did.  I  am  glad  I  visited  Granville, 
Ohio  ;  it  was  a  great  treat  to  talk  with  grandpa.  I 
will  give  your  exhortation,  '  don't  smoke,'  a  calm,  un- 
impassioned,  respectful,  dignified,  and  profound  con 
sideration." 

To   his   eldest  sister,  he  says: 

"  I  wish  you  a  merry  Christmas  this  morning.  I  have 
been  getting  along  nicely  since  I  last  wrote.  I  am 
rooming  and  boarding  at  Dr.  Green's.  I  have  a  sopho 
more  for  a  room-mate,  and  am  pitching  into  Hebrew 
like  a  good  fellow.  About  seven  o'clock  every  morn 
ing  a  coal-black  maiden  of  fifteen  summers  rings  the 
bell  for  us  to  get  up  ;  Frank,  another  piece  of  shining 
ebony,  makes  the  fire  in  our  stove.  About  half-past 
seven  we  have  breakfast,  and  right  after,  prayers,  at 


58 

which  some  of  the  servants  always  attend.  I  go  down 
to  the  seminary  at  half-past  eight,  and  stay  right 
through  till  twelve  o'clock.  I  generally  read  and  write 
in  the  afternoon,  and  study  in  the  evening.  We  have 
four  professors  and  forty  students.  One  of  the  students 
was  a  class-mate  of  brother  F.  He  is  from  South 
Carolina,  but  is  a  strong  Unionist." 

To  a  younger  sister  : 

"  This  is  your  birthday  ;  I  cannot  send  you  a  present, 
as  you  are  so  far  away,  but  I  will  write  to  let  you  know 
that  my  heart  is  full  of  fraternal  affection  and  brotherly 
love.  Be  a  good  girl ;  continue  to  improve  in  every 
thing,  and  remember  that  as  your  years  come  quickly 
on,  your  last  will  soon  be  here.  Think  of  good  things, 
find  out  what  it  is  to  repent  and  believe,  and  then,  V., 
do  it  with  God's  help." 


His  letters  from  this  time  are  largely  taken  up  with 
the  threatening  condition  of  the  country.  They  reveal 
at  once  the  intense  interest  he  felt  for  its  welfare,  and 
the  working  of  his  own  mind,  as  to  what  was  his  duty 
in  the  crisis. 


59 

From  his  grandfather  : 

December,  1860. 

"The  famine  is  very  sore  in  Kansas,  and  there  is 
much  suffering.  This  county  has  sent  them  relief.  Is 
anything  done  for  these  poor  sufferers  in  your  State?  " 
"What  shall  be  done  in  this  distressing  Secession  move 
ment  ?  Is  Kentucky  doing  anything  to  encourage  it? 
We  hope  not ;  we  love  that  heroic,  noble  people  too 
well  to  spare  them  from  our  beloved  Union.  Is  not 
the  whole  of  it  a  sad,  unjustifiable  movement?  Let  us 
all  do  our  duty  the  best  we  can,  and  if  possible  save  our 
guilty  nation  from  disgrace  and  ruin.  How  are  you 
pleased  with  your  situation — your  studies,  the  society, 
and  everything  that  relates  to  your  happiness.  It  is  no 
trifling  matter  to  be  confined  to  the  study  of  books  for 
many  years,  but  I  hope  you  will  come  out  in  the  end 
as  bright  as  the  morning." 

Reply  to  his  grandpa  : 

"  I  received  your  kind  letter  three  weeks  ago.  I  am 
sorry  the  accounts  from  Kansas  are  so  distressing.  The 
two  Presbyterian  churches  in  this  place  sent  a  little 
over  a  hundred  dollars  in  cash,  besides  four  boxes  of 
clothing,  to  Kansas.  I  thought  this  was  doing  pretty 
well  for  these  hard  times.  I  take  the  Cincinnati  Com- 


6o 


mercial ;  I  don't  like  its  anti-coercion  talk,  though  I 
hope  for  an  amicable  adjustment  in  the  Union.  I  heard 
from  father  this  morning  ;  he  is  well,  and  thinks  Missis 
sippi  will  come  back.  I  am  well,  and  well  contented 
with  everybody  but  the  Seceders.  I  talk  so  much 
against  them,  I  am  called  an  Abolitionist.  I  received 
the  '  Principia.'  Can  you  send  more?" 


About  this  time  he  heard  of  the  death  of  his  well- 
beloved  pupil  and  correspondent,  Frederic  Barrows, 
whom  we  have  mentioned.  He  died  very  suddenly  on 
the  Qth  December,  1860,  at  Suffield,  Mass.,  whither  he 
had  gone  to  pursue  his  studies.  His  teacher's  sorrow 
on  hearing  of  his  death,  is  expressed  in  the  following 
letter  to  the  mother  of  the  deceased  : 

"DANVILLE,  KY.,  January  i,  1861. 

"  MY  DEAR  MRS.  BARROWS : — It  is  the  first  morn 
ing  of  the  new  year,  and  the  sun  is  shining  as  kindly 
and  with  as  much  promise  as  ever  it  shone  on  the  many 
bright  days  of  the  old  year,  which,  with  all  its  pleasure 
and  all  its  sadness,  has  now  gone  forever.  Two  weeks 


6i 


ago,  to-day,  I  heard,  at  once,  of  the  sickness,  the  death, 
and  the  burial  of  your  son,  Frederic.  Can  you  excuse 
the  liberty  I  take  of  writing  to  you  on  this  solemn  oc 
casion  ? — a  liberty,  which  would  at  any  time  be  great, 
but  especially  so  now,  when  an  intrusive  letter  may 
cause  those  wounds  to  bleed  again,  which  time  is  gently 
healing. 

"  After  I  arrived  here  I  made  out  a  list  of  persons  to 
whom  I  intended  writing  when  I  found  time.  It  com 
menced  thus  :  Dwight,  Fred,  Arthur,  etc.  I  have  writ 
ten  to  Dwight  but  I  cannot  write  to  Fred;  yet  I  feel  as 
if  I  could  not  pass  his  name  by,  and  knowing  that  it 
will  do  me  good,  I  trust  that  you  will  accept  in  kind 
ness  this  expression  of  his  teacher's  feelings.  I  write 
not  to  console,  or  to  soothe  ;  for  were  I  able,  that  sa 
cred  duty  belongs  to  others  nearer  you.  I  write  simply 
to  tell  you  I  too  loved  Fred.  Since  I  heard  of  his  death 
almost  every  incident  of  my  pleasant  acquaintance  with 
him  has  passed  and  repassed  in  my  mind.  You  know 
that  beside  my  connection  with  Frederic  as  his  teacher, 
I  was  with  him  very  much  as  a  companion  ;  I  was  more 
intimate  with  him  in  both  these  relations  than  with 
most  of  my  scholars.  I  cannot  but  mourn  for  myself 
that  I  can  no  more  enjoy  my  friendly  intercourse  with 
him  ;  the  hopes  I  loved  to  cherish  of  once  more  meet 
ing  in  old  Mansfield,  our  dear  school  circle  unbroken 
still.  Yet  I  shall  always  be  glad  that  I  knew  Fred.  I 


62 


shall  always  think  of  him  with  mournful  pleasure.  As 
a  scholar,  I  admired  him.  He  loved  his  lessons,  and 
was  diligent  in  them.  He  was  able  to  master  any 
study,  and  in  one  branch  was  extremely  promising.  In 
his  deportment,  although  when  with  me  under  circum 
stances  which  were  a  temptation  to  his  natural  playful 
ness,  he  was  all  that  I  could  ask.  Out  of  school  I  often 
noticed  in  our  talks  his  inquiring  mind,  and  his  anxiety 
to  learn  everything  that  was  practically  useful.  As  a 
friend  he  was  always  agreeable,  kind  and  obliging ;  many 
were  the  acts  of  kindness  he  performed  for  me.  I  never 
had  a  direct  conversation  with  Fred  on  the  subject  of 
religion ;  I  wish  very  much  that  I  had  ;  it  would  have 
been  so  pleasant  to  think  of.  But  Fred  was  a  good, 
conscientious  boy.  I  always  found  that  the  strongest 
motive  that  I  could  bring  to  bear  on  him  was  an  appeal 
to  the  right.  They  tell  me,  Mrs.  Barrows,  that  Fred  is 
dead  ;  I  cannot  realize  it.  I  take  out  his  picture  and 
gaze  at  it ;  there  are  the  same  features  which  I  have  so 
often  seen,  but  always,  whether  in  puzzling  study,  in 
earnest  thought,  in  hard  work  or  sportive  play,  lighted 
up  with  life  and  animation.  How  vivid  yet  are  the  closing 
scenes  of  school !  My  last  visit  at  your  house — the  ex 
amination — the  composition — -my  ride  with  him  to 
Willimantic- — our  conversations  about  Suffield  !  It  was 
he  whose  hand  I  shook  last  of  all  my  scholars  ;  to  him 
I  bid  the  last  good-by  ;  a  cheerful  good-by — for  our 


hearts  were  full  of  hopes  ;  but  alas  !  those  hopes  were 
human.  I  think  of  all  these  things  and  look  at  his  pic 
ture,  and  think  and  look  again,  but  I  cannot,  I  cannot 
make  him  dead  !  Yet,  I  suppose  it  is  a  reality  ;  a  soul, 
a  spirit  that  lived  among  us,  with  whom  we  laughed  and 
talked  and  prayed — has  gone."  "  Frederic's  death  has 
come  nearer  to  me  than  any  other.  God  in  mercy  has 
not  taken  away  from  me  either  father  or  mother,  or 
brother  or  sister.  I  never  yet  have  stood  beside  a 
death-bed.  But  now  death  has  broken  a  circle  of 
scholars  whom  I  loved,  and  of  whom  I  was  proud. 
One  has  been  taken  away  who,  like  me,  was  full  of 
ardent  hope  ;  one  who  differed  from  me  only  in  this, 
that  apparently  I  was  a  few  years  nearer  to  my  grave 
than  he  to  his.  But  he  has  gone  first ;  how  soon  am  I 
to  follow  ?  I  am  very  glad  I  can  believe  that  in  all  our 
intercourse  with  him  there  never  passed  between  us  an 
act,  or  a  word,  or  a  thought,  I  trust,  prompted  by  anger 
or  impatience.  I  am  glad  there  is  so  much  that  I  can 
think  of  with  subdued  yet  unalloyed  pleasure  ;  yet, 
there  are  things  for  which,  could  I  see  him  now,  I  would 
ask  his  forgiveness.  I  confess  them  to  you.  Had  I 
known  last  fall  that  in  one  short  month  Fred  was  to  die, 
how  differently  I  would  have  acted — how  much  kinder 
my  kindness  would  have  been  !  How  much  more  faith 
ful  I  would  have  been  as  a  Christian  brother!  He  is 
now  beyond  the  reach,  and  beyond  the  need  of  earthly 


64 


counsel;  and  though  he  sung  not  on  earth  with  us,  is 
now  singing  songs  of  praise  and  glory  such  as  only 
angel  lips  can  sing.  God  grant  that  the  solemn  lesson 
may  not  pass  by  unlearned  by  us  who  are  left.  Tell 
each  one  of  Frederic's  schoolmates  for  me,  so  to  live, 
and  so  to  act  towards  every  other,  as  if  the  next  short 
month  would  see  that  companion  in  the  grave.  I  hope 
and  pray  that  this  warning,  coming  as  it  does  at  the 
commencement  of  my  studies  for  the  ministry,  may  be 
blessed  to  my  good.  I  need  strength,  wisdom,  and 
grace  from  on  high.  May  I  not  ask  you,  now  that 
another  cord  connects  you  with  heaven,  now  that  you 
are  drawn  still  nearer  to  the  throne  of  grace,  to  remember 
me  sometimes  in  your  fervent  prayers  ?  It  gives  me  a 
deep  and  sacred  pleasure  to  add  to  those  of  all  who 
knew  him,  my  tribute  of  affection  to  the  memory  of 
your  son  ;  and  that,  though  I  am  far  away,  still  I  can 
not  forget  him,  but  must  mourn  in  your  mourning  and 
grieve  in  your  grief." 

His  brother  F.,*  now  pastor  of  the  Presbyterian 
church,  Lexington,  North  Carolina,  writes: 

"  January  22,  1861. — I  have  read  within  a  few  days 
past  Dr.  Breckinridge's  sermon  on  the  *  Crisis.'  I  agree 

*  This  brother  was  chaplain  for  a  season  to  a  regiment  in  the  Southern 
army  before  Richmond. 


with  him  on  the  subject  of  secession,   and   I   think  his 
argument  indisputable.     The  old  North  State    moves 
slowly.     The  secessionists   are  doing  their  best   to   stir 
her  up,  but  it's  no  go  yet.     If,  however,  the  black  re 
publicans  don't  come  to  reasonable  terms  she  will  let 
her  voice  be  heard  some  way — I  can't  say  what.      At 
all  events  the  State  will  follow  in  the  wake  of  Virginia, 
and   she   can't   well  do  anything   else,  her  interest  and 
destiny  being  linked  to  the  Old  Dominion.     A  majority 
of  our  people  have  no  idea  being  coerced  into  measures 
by  South  Carolina,  any  more 'than  by  the  general  gov 
ernment.     The  feeling  in  some  quarters  is  quite  bitter 
toward  South  Carolina.     It  would  not  be  long  before 
she    would    be    again    kicking    out    of    her    harness, 
and    carrying   her   sovereign    head    higher  still.      The 
Secession  feeling,   though,  is  gaining  strength,   and  if 
something  is  no't  done  toward  effective  conciliation  by 
the  party  in  power  before   the  fourth   of  March,  even 
North  Carolina  will  probably  set  up  for  herself.      Yes, 
and  you'll  see  Kentucky  cutting  loose  also.       For  my 
self,  I  am  anxious  to  see   the  slavery  question  forever 
settled  now,  but  I  want  it  done  in  the  proper  way.    We 
are  in   a  bog,  floundering   helplessly ;   we  are  a   sinful 
nation,  and  deserve  to  be  chastised  sorely.       As  things 
stand  now,  if  we  are  spared  a  civil  war  it  will  be  a  mir 
acle  of  mercy." 


5 


66 


TO  WILLIAM  TRUMBULL,  ESQ.,  OF  MANSFIELD,  CONN. 

"  My  journey  hither  was  a  very  pleasant  one,  I  spent 
Thanksgiving  week  as  I  intended,  with  my  relations  in 
Granville,  Ohio.  I  had  never  seen  many  relatives  be 
fore,  and  it  is  quite  a  treat  to  get  among  so  many  cousins 
at  once.  I  was  rubbed  pretty  hard  for  my  political  sen 
timents,  by  the  older  folks  ;  and  you  will  not  wonder  at 
it,  when  I  tell  you  that  their  Abolitionism  is  of  such  an 
extra  fine  extract,  that  they  think  the  New  York  Tribune 
is  rather  pro-slavery,  and  the  Independent  very  conser 
vative."  "  As  all  arrangements  had  been  made  I  en 
tered  the  seminary  and  went  to  studying  at  once,  of 
which  there  was  great  need,  as  I  was  considerably  be 
hindhand,  especially  in  Hebrew.  I  have  now  caught 
up  with  the  class,  and  I  like  translating  the  old  testa 
ment  Hebrew  better  than  any  other  study.  I  am  be 
ginning  to  be  very  much  interested  in  my  theological 
studies,  and  I  begin  to  feel,  too,  what  a  responsibility 
will  rest  on  me,  and  is  resting  on  me  now  while  engaged 
in  studying  God's  word.  I  often  think  how  I  would 
like  to  talk  over  many  points  which  come  up  in  the 
course  of  my  studies  with  you.  I  have  often  asked  you 
to  pray  for  me,  but  lately — since  Fred's  death — I  have 
felt  the  need  of  the  efficacy  of  the  prayers  of  earnest 
Christian  friends  more  than  ever."  "  Public  opinion, 
in  Danville  and  vicinity,  is  strongly  opposed  to  seces 
sion.  But  Danville,  I  think,  is  ahead  of  the  State  in 


this  patriotic  feeling.  I  agree  with  you,  probably,  in 
supposing  that  the  whole  secession  movement  is  a  wild, 
reckless,  destructive  proceeding.  I  do  not  myself  think 
the  slave  States  ought  to  ask  for  any  guaranties,  or 
make  any  fuss  about  the  Republicans  coming  into 
power.  But  we  have  now  to  deal  with  facts.  A  major 
ity  of  the  people  of  several  of  the  slave  States,  wrongly, 
but  sincerely  think  that  in  staying  in  a  nation  con 
trolled  by  a  party  which  says  to  the  slave  States,  '  we  will 
not  suffer  you  to  have  advantages  which  we  have — of 
impressing  our  form  of  social  government  in  new  States  ; 
we  will  cripple  you  by  every  means  in  our  power' — they 
are  submitting  to  their  own  degradation,  and  are  invit 
ing  future  aggression.  They  therefore  leave,  and  are 
preparing  for  war.  The  people  of  the  other  slave  States, 
though  otherwise  extremely  anxious  to  abide  in  the 
Union,  think  that  if  this  party  really  means  to  carry  out 
its  declarations  to  the  letter,  then,  it  would  be  dishonor 
able  for  them  to  remain  in  the  Union,  even  if  a  long 
bloody  war  follows.  Believing  this  to  be  the  case,  I  see 
but  two  alternatives,  unless  some  compromise  is  effected, 
—war,  or  a  peaceful  recognition  of  the  independence  of 
the  Southern  States.  The  latter,  I  would  consider  a 
more  humiliating  sacrifice  of  the  fundamental  principle 
of  our  government,  and  more  dangerous  to  our  safety 
than  any  the  Republicans  are  now  asked  to  make.  War 
I  do  not  consider  the  worst  evil  that  can  befall  us ;  yet 


68 


under  present  circumstances,  who  can  contemplate  it 
without  horror?  I  believe  the  spirit  of  compromise  is 
as  important  as  any ;  without  it  our  government  could 
never  have  been  formed  or  preserved  till  now.  The 
spirit  of  concession  is  a  Christian  and  a  blessed  princi 
ple."  ''The  Cotton  States  have  adopted  a  bullying 
tone,  but  the  other  States  have  not.  They  ask  it  kindly. 
I  will  tell  you  my  ideas  of  the  practical  workings  of 
slavery,  as  I  see  it,  some  other  time.  Read  Thorn- 
well's  article  in  the  New  York  Observer,  February  I4th, 
if  you  want  to  get  at  what  they  think  in  Cottondom." 

He  says  to  a  friend : 

"  I  don't  like  to  hear  you  speak  of  the  '  Haughty 
Southerners,'  or  of  not  yielding  an  inch.  The  mass  of 
the  South  are  honest  in  feeling  that  they  have  been 
wronged.  If  you  knew  just  how  the  South  feels,  I  am 
sure  you  would  yield  many  an  inch  for  the  sake  of 
peace.  Besides,  the  point  is  vital  to  the  South,  but  not 
to  the  North."  "  War — war — war  is  the  cry,  and  every 
throb  of  the  telegraphic  wire  is  bringing  us  terrible 
news  from  many  parts  of  our  beloved  land.  The 
only  danger  at  present  in  Kentucky  is  from  mob 
fight.  For  instance  there  is  in  Danville  an  association 
of  over  200  working  men  who  are  pledged  to  support 
the  Union.  They  raised  the  stars  and  stripes  here,  and 


have  sworn  that  it  shall  never  be  taken  down  by  seces 
sionists,  even  if  Kentucky  secedes.  In  the  college  there 
are  many  young  men  from  the  extreme  South,  and  the 
feeling  of  the  whole  college,  especially  since  Lincoln's 
proclamation,  has  been  tf/z/z'-Northern.  We  came  very 
near  having  a  raid  last  night  between  these  two  classes, 
but  I  hope  no  blood  will  be  shed.  I  must  say  that  the 
news  of  the  last  few  days  has  excited  me  almost  beyond 
endurance.  I  can't  bear  to  hear  the  students  exulting 
over  the  downfall  of  Sumter,  and  the  insults  to  our 
country's  flag.  I  tell  you,  it  would  not  take  much  to 
make  me  enlist  as  a  soldier,  although  my  position  and 
circumstances  almost  forbid  my  thinking  of  it  seriously, 
yet  if  by  my  going  I  could  raise  a  regiment  of  Ken- 
tuckians,  who  otherwise  would  not  go,  I  would  not  hesi 
tate  a  moment." 

"It  is  wholly  impossible  for  me  to  get  a  letter 
South.  Have  not  heard  a  word  from  father  or  F.  I 
am  studying  pretty  hard.  This  with  teaching  for 
my  board  confines  me  pretty  closely.  The  weather 
is  beautiful.  No  fire,  window  open,  very  pleasant. 
There  are  about  fifty  sick  soldiers  here  ;  many  regiments 
have  passed  through.  In  the  family  where  I  am  board 
ing  there  are  about  ten  colored  brethren  and  sisters  ; 
when  the  troops  go  by,  they  go  out  and  shout  for 
'  Linkum.'  '  "While  all  nature  is  so  joyful  and  peace 
ful,  how  dreadful  and  violent  are  the  emotions  and  com- 


motions  of  our  countrymen.  The  storm  is  furious,  and 
as  yet  it  has  only  begun  to  rage ;  yet  I  see  hope,  and  in  all 
my  mourning  will  not  despond.  Pray  for  our  country." 

"  May  4th.  To-day  is  election-day.  It  is  virtually 
a  vote  on  Secession  or  no  Secession.  A  few  days  ago, 
the  secessionsts  withdrew  their  ticket  from  the  field,  on 
the  plea  that  since  Virginia  has  seceded,  no  such  con 
vention  would  be  held ;  but  undoubtedly  their  real 
reason  was,  because  they  knew  they  would  be  whipped, 
and  the  hope  that  as  there  is  no  competition,  the  vote 
will  be  small,  and  then  they  will  claim  that  all  who 
didn't  vote  are  Secessionists.  But  the  Union  men  are 
on  their  guard,  and  cannot  be  out-witted  or  over  aw  ed, 
as  they  have  been  in  every  seceded  State  so  far  ;  espe 
cially  in  poor  old  Virginia.  The  Union  men  are  all  op 
posed  to  Secession  utterly  and  forever,  but  I  am  sorry 
to  say  that  some  of  them  are  not  as  hearty  or  loyal  in 
their  support  of  the  general  government,  as  they  ought 
to  be,  and  are  now  talking  of  an  armed  neutrality, 
which  means — that  they  will  not  fight  on  either  side, 
and  prevent,  as  far  as  they  can,  troops  of  either  side 
coming  on  their  soil.  This  policy,  I  think,  is  more  one 
of  the  politicians  than  of  the  people  ;  and  I  earnest 
ly  hope  it  will  not  prevail.  The  only  excuse  for  it  is, 
that  it  is  extremely  hard  for  Kentuckians  to  take  up 
arms  against  their  Southern  brethren,  although  their 


judgment  pronounces  against  them.  The  State  offi 
cials  are  bad  men  ;  some  of  the  politicians  are  not  as 
sound  as  they  ought  to  be,  and  both  together  have  put 
old  Kentucky  in  a  false,  unloyal  position.  But  a  major 
ity  of  the  people  are  sound  to  the  core.  Already 
two  thousand  Kentucky  volunteers  are  organized  into 
regiments,  and  soon  the  full  number  of  troops  will  be 
made  up  for  which  Lincoln  called,  despite  the  refusal 
of  the  Governor." 

"  This  dreadful  war  news  has  knocked  my  calculations 
for  the  vacation  sky-high.  Got  a  letter  from  F.  ;  he  has 
been,  as  all  of  North  Carolina,  driven  into  Secession  ! 
Egyptian  darkness  reigns  in  Mississippi.  I  wrote  to  pa, 
urging  him  to  come  north  ;  I  am  afraid  we  shall  not  see 
him." 


His  father,  at  the  time  the  war  commenced,  was 
agent  of  the  American  Bible  Society  for  Northern  Mis 
sissippi.  He  resigned  his  agency,  but  remained  in  that 
State,  supporting  the  disunion  movement.  William 
could  not  understand  why  his  father  should  take  this 
course — and  writes:  "I  cannot  believe,  pa,  that  you 
believe  either  in  the  right  or  expediency  of  Seces 
sion.  Have  I  not  heard  you  commend  Jackson's  course 


72 

in  1832  and  1833  ?  Did  you  not  tell  us  that  you  con 
sidered  Calhoun's  death  in  1850  a  providential  inter 
ference  to  preserve  the  Union?  Why  do  you  now  wish 
for  the  downfall  of  that  beautiful  flag,  under  the  protec 
tion  of  which  we  have  so  long  dwelt  in  safety  in  foreign 
lands,  and  looked  up  to  with  such  pride".? 

To  his  brother  H. : 

"  Governor  McGoffin,  and  through  him  the  State 
Militia,  of  which  he  has  control,  are  thoroughly, 
though  not  openly,  Secessionists.  The  Legislature  is 
about  half-and-half.  It  is  possible  that  by  foul  means 
the  State  may  yet  be  declared  out  of  the  Union.  In 
view  of  this,  the  Union  men  are  organized  all  over  the 
State,  and  getting  arms,  which  is  a  difficult  thing  just 
now.  The  Paint  Lick  '  Catamounts/  to  which  I  be 
long,  are  going  to  get  arms  from  the  United  States  Gov 
ernment.  If  there  is  war  in  Kentucky  we  will  be  liable 
to  be  called  out.  I  do  not  think  moderation  and 
attempts  to  compromise  have  done  any  harm  ;  on  the 
contrary,  they  now  justify  and  strengthen  the  cause  of 
the  Union,  wonderfully,  when  finally  the  war  is  forced 
upon  us  ;  now  I  say,  make  it  the  biggest,  most  deter 
mined  war  possible,  and  don't  rest  till  the  laws  are  en- 


73 


forced  everywhere.  In  this  County-guard,  there  are 
one  Secessionist,  twenty-five  wavering  Union  men, 
and  one  thousand  two  hundred  and  ninety-eight  Union 
to  the  last.  Love  to  the  Doctor,  Joe  Daniels,  and  all 
classmates.  Has  Jim  Schneider  been  in  New  Haven?'' 


Nothing  except  his  love  for  the  whole  country  could 
exceed  the  interest  he  felt  in  the  state  of  affairs  in  Ken 
tucky.  He  watched  very  closely  every  movement  of 
her  civil  and  political,  as  well  as  military  leaders.  He 
had  no  native  State  to  love  and  glory  in,  above  another 
—but  for  some  reason  he  seemed  to  adopt  old  Ken 
tucky  for  his  State.  He  said  long  ago,  when  he  had 
finished  his  education,  he  was  going  to  Kentucky  to 
help  free  the  slaves,  and  this  was  the  very  last  work  he 
did.  But,  at  that  time,  how  very  far  from  his  thoughts 
was  the  way  in  which  this  work  was  to  be  done!  He 
fought  to  save  his  country — not  necessarily  to  free  the 
slaves.  In  twenty-eight  days  after  his  death,  the  slave 
was  free.  He  was  born  in  a  land  of  oppression — where 
young  boys  were  forced  into  the  army,  and  fought  and 


74 

died  to  uphold  oppressive  governments.  The  noble 
principle  of  love  for  country  and  liberty  could  not  in 
fluence  them,  for  they  had  no  country  to  love,  and  were 
strangers  to  freedom  and  justice.  Even  now,  they  are 
suffering — fighting  and  dying,  and  their  mothers  are 
weeping,  and  hoping  for  their  return  ;  but  many — very 
many  of  them  will  never  hear  from  them  again.  He 
heard  Yanni  tell  of  the  cruelties  inflicted  upon  his 
countrymen  in  the  time  of  the  Greek  Revolution, 
when  for  a  Greek  to  meet  a  Turk  was  to  meet  his 
death. 

"Yesterday  we  had  quite  a  turn-out  for  our  small 
village  —  Paint  Lick — to  witness  our  company  drill, 
and  to  hear  political  speeches.  There  were  about 
one  hundred  and  twenty-five  men  in  the  company, 
of  whom  I  was  one.  At  the  close,  a  vote  was  taken 
for  the  Union,  as  it  is.  All  stood  up  but  five  or 
six.  When  the  vote  was  taken  for  secession,  one  man 
rose  up,  but  sat  down  before  he  could  be  counted.  All 
this  eastern  part  of  the  State  is  as  strong  as  this  meet 
ing  was.  Yet  the  Governor,  with  a  small  but  powerful 
clique,  is  bent  on  having  Kentucky  secede,  in  which 


75 


case  there  will  be  civil  war  in  the  State,  and  I  shall 
fight  for  the  stars  and  stripes,  which  our  company  is 
pledged  to  do." 

"June  i. —  Kentucky's  position  is  rather  critical, 
though  not  so  much  so  as  it  has  been.  If  the  Governor 
had  been  able,  by  hook  or  crook,  to  get  the  least  pretext 
on  which  to  act,  he  was  prepared  to  declare  the  State  out 
of  the  Union,  post  his  armed  men  in  every  town  of  the 
State,  call  in  troops  from  the  southern  States,  and  bind 
the  defenseless  Union  men  hand  and  foot,  and  if  any 
dared  to  resist,  to  convict  them  of  treason  to  the  State, 
and  hang  or  drive  them  out,  just  as  is  the  case  to-day 
in  Tennessee.  Thanks  to  our  Legislature,  the  Gov 
ernor  has  been  disconcerted  for  the  present,  but  it  has 
been  a  close  shave,  for  the  change  of  a  few  votes  would 
have  effected  the  ruinous  schemes  of  the  disunionists. 
The  people  have  been  terribly  alarmed.  There  could 
be  no  united  action  among  them,  as  any  proceeding 
that  was  not  strictly  legal  would  be  made  a  pretext  by 
the  Governor ;  but  now  we  are  receiving  arms  gratis. 
I  have  got  a  good  United  States  musket,  with  bayonet 
and  ammunition.  I  think  this  decisive  movement 
will  be  the  death  of  secession  in  the  State,  and  with 
sixty  thousand  troops  along  the  Ohio,  I  guess  the 
seceders  won't  touch  us.  So  you  needn't  fear  for  me, 
'  specially.'  ' 


76 


"  Since  I  came  to  Paint  Lick  I  have  not  done 
much  ;  I  read  considerably,  but  not  much  theology.  I 
have  been  cutting  up  a  tree  which  blew  down  in  uncle's 
yard.  The  trunk  is  six  feet  around,  and  pretty  hard  to 
split.  I  also  do  some  garden  work,  among  the  flowers 
or  vegetables,  or  in  gathering  or  capping  strawberries. 
I  am  at  present  installed  as  teacher  of  Cousin  Arthur, 
and  preach  occasionally  to  the  blacks.  My  opinion  con 
cerning  them  is  not  altered  in  the  least  by  coining 
here." 

"June  II,  1861. — To-day  is  my  birthday,  and  I  am 
twenty-two  years  old.  I  can  hardly  realize  it,  but  I 
ought  by  this  time  to  be  a  man.  I  must  say  I  don't 
feel  so.  Here  I  am,  romping  all  over  the  premises, 
with  my  cousins,  and  galloping  all  over  the  country, 
managing  to  cast  off  care,  and  I  scarcely  know  whence 
next  month's  bread  is  to  come.  One's  birthday  is  a 
good  time  for  reflection.  I  feel  that  this  year  will  be 
the  turning  point  of  my  life — the  passing  from  youth  to 
manhood — for,  by  my  next  birthday  I  hope  to  be  earn 
estly  engaged  in  preaching  the  gospel  of  the  living 
God.  God  grant  that  I  may  be  equal  to  such  a  duty 
and  such  a  privilege." 

"Julys- 

"  MY  DEAR  JOE: — I  have  preached  several  times  in 
backwoods  school-houses,  to  small  audiences,  and  two 


77 


or  three  times  to  the  blacks.  I  received  a  rather  dubi 
ous  compliment  from  a  regular  'Uncle  Tom/  an  elder 
among  the  blacks  :  *  Young  Massa  preach  pretty  well  for 
de  little  learnin*  he's  got.'  I  have  made  some  stump 
speeches  to  admiring  audiences,  around  in  the  country. 
It's  real  fun.  The  Union  sentiment  is  tremendous. 
They  want  all  the  traitors  hung,  and  the  conspiracy 
crushed  without  mercy.  Kentucky  will  never  secede, 
though  McGoffin  and  his  satellites  may  cut  up  a  little 
like  Jackson  in  Missouri.  The  neutrality  talk  is  all  hum 
bug.  It  was  first  advanced  by  timorous  Union  politicians, 
but  has  since  been  taken  up  by  the  secessionists  as  their 
rallying  cry.  But  the  people  are,  and  always  will  be, 
distinctly  divided  into  Unionists  and  Secessionists." 

In  July,  of  1861,  he  rather  unexpectedly  made  up  his 
mind  to  return  North  and  teach  again  one  term  in 
Mansfield,  before  the  coming  winter  session  of  the  sem 
inary  should  commence: 


"  I  am  going  to  teach  in  Mansfield  Center,  as  usual. 
I  leave  uncle's  next  Wednesday,  July  roth  ;  will  visit 
John  Beckley  (one  of  his  classmates),  at  Shelbyville.  I 
expect  to  be  in  Granville,  Ohio,  the  i6th,  and  leave 
there  Monday,  the  22d.  I  shall  try  to  be  at  home 


Wednesday  evening,  about  nine  o'clock,  on  the  24th,  in 
order  to  be  at  commencement." 


He  accomplished  this  trip  throughout  just  as  he  had 
so  hurriedly  planned  it  at  Paint  Lick,  calling  at  and 
leaving  each  place,  and  reaching  home  at  the  hour 
appointed.  Of  his  visits  on  the  way,  he  says : 

"  I  had  a  pleasant  time  at  Mr.  Dandy's  in  Lexington. 
I  rode  around  the  city,  and  visited  Henry  Clay's  mon 
ument.  At  Shelbyville,  *  Beck'  took  me  around  to  see 
several  of  his  lady  friends.  On  Saturday  there  was  a 
picnic ;  about  fifty  ladies  and  as  many  gentlemen  were 
there.  Union  sentiment  in  Shelbyville  is  very  strong. 
Monday  I  left  for  Louisville,  and  arrived  there  at  half- 
past  ten.  At  noon  went  on  board  the  steamer  Major 
Anderson.  The  ride  up  the  Ohio  was  pleasant.  Tues 
day,  at  Cincinnati,  took  the  cars  for  Granville.  Grandpa 
met  me  with  a  buggy  at  Union  Station,  and  soon  I  had 
the  pleasure  of  meeting  Aunts  L.  and  B.,  Cousin  M., 
and  little  Con.  The  little  fellow  is  just  the  same  as 
ever.  I  had  scarcely  been  in  the  house  an  hour  before 
he  commenced  striking  me  with  a  little  horsewhip.  I 
took  hold  of  it  and  held  it ;  he  tugged  away  at  it,  and 
finally  began  to  cry.  I  said,  '  You  can't  have  that,  sir.' 


79 


He  then  changed  his  tactics,  and  putting  his  face  up  to 
mine,  said,  'Thank  'oo  illie  kiss/  The  little  rogue  got 
the  whip  immediately.  Have  you  heard  any  news  yet  ? 
/  have.  Isn't  it  good  ?  " 

He  attended  commencement,  spent  a  few  days  at 
home,  and  then  went  to  Mansfield. 

"  I  have  but  fifteen  scholars  ;  expect  half  a  dozen 
more  in  about  two  weeks.  We  play  as  much  as  usual 
at  recess.  I  miss  Fred  very  much  ;  I  have  been  to  his 
grave,  and  can  hardly  realize  that  he  is  there  under  the 
cold,  cold  ground." 

His  grandfather  says  of  his  recent  visit  there  : 

"  William  will  tell  you  how  he  raked  hay  with  grand 
father;  and  let  me  tell  you,  that  I  think  him  as  good  a 
scholar  in  the  hay-field  as  in  literary  science  or  in 
theology." 

Aunt  L.  says : 

"We  have  had  a  precious  visit  with  William.  How 
I  love  to  hear  him  talk  !  May  his  life  be  spared  and 
his  usefulness  be  great  in  the  earth." 


So 


Writes  his  cousin  : 


"  There  is  quite  a  large  camp  collecting  on  the  Lex 
ington  turnpike,  at  Hoskins.  Cousin  S.  Fry  is  there 
with  a  number  of  troops  ;  and  Judge  Bramlette  has  re 
signed  his  judgeship  and  is  making  up  a  regiment  of 
cavalry,  and  will  soon  be  there.  Before  the  election, 
there  were  two  or  three  secession  pic-nics,  and  they 
seemed  to  be  making  great  efforts  to  rally  their  party, 
but  in  spite  of  all,  the  Union  has  gained  a  great  victory. 
We  got  a  staff  for  that  flag  you  gave  me,  and  planted 
it  in  Grapevine  Grove.  Everybody  we  meet  asks, 
When  did  you  hear  from  Billy  Johnston  ?  " 

He  was  over-fond  of  what  might  be  called  immoder 
ate  exercise  ;  and  was  often  admonished  that  a  more 
prudent  course  would  be  healthier  and  safer.  If  swim 
ming,  he  would  disappear  under  water,  till  all  with 
him  were  alarmed  ;  or  swim  across  the  Hudson  River, 
as  he  did  near  the  *'  Palisades."  At  the  cave  where  Put 
nam  killed  the  wolf,  he  pushed  in,  ploughing  his  way 
with  his  elbows.  At  Niagara  Falls,  he  would  go  on 
and  on,  over  precipices,  to  the  great  uneasiness  of  those 
who  accompanied  him. 


8i 


To  one  of  his  pupils  he  says  : 

"As  to  racing  with  you  on  the  ice,  I  should  not  pro 
pose  it  myself,  but  if  you  got  me  into  it,  I  shouldn't 
want  to  give  in,  if — I  could  help  it.  Important  '  if.' 
When  I  was  in  Elizabeth,  I  skated  considerably — that 
is,  after  a  fashion.  I  spread  out  my  capabilities  to  the 
utmost,  but  spread  myself  on  the  ice  with  true  hero 
ism."  "  I  went  to  N.  Windham  last  night,  and  ran 
back  this  morning,  from  Mr.  Peck's  gate  to  Mr.  Trum- 
bull's,  nearly  three  miles,  in  twenty-six  minutes.  I  am 
practicing  for  the  war  ;  if  matters  get  much  worse  in 
Kentucky,  I  shall  enlist  when  I  get  through  school." 

"  Sister  and  myself,"  writes  a  little  friend  to  him,  "are 
very  much  obliged  to  you  for  the  music.  Pa  and 
Aunt  Mary  went  down  to  Camp  Robinson  and  took 
us  children  with  them.  Yesterday  ninety  men  passed 
here  in  a  very  hard  rain,  going  to  camp,  and  ninety  more 
are  coming  to  Paint  Lick  to-night,  and  are  going  to  sleep 
in  the  school-house.  Mr.  S.  went  round  getting  the 
neighbors  to  send  them  something  to  eat.  All  sent 

very  cheerfully,  except   your   friend,    Mr.    ;     he 

would  not  send  a  thing." 
6 


82 

From  his  war  correspondent  in  Kentucky  : 

"  September  17,  1861. 

"You  have,  no  doubt,  seen  the  recent  action  of  our 
Legislature  touching  the  Southern  troops  which  have 
come  into  the  State.  I  am  clear  in  my  convictions 
that  J.  C.  Breckinridge  &  Co.  had  these  troops  brought 
into  Kentucky  to  serve  a  purpose.  The  secession 
game  could  be  carried  no  further,  after  our  late  State 
election,  unless  some  pretext  for  civil  war  could  be 
found.  This  was  sought  in  the  step  the  Southern 
troops  have  taken.  'Breck.'s'  calculation  was  that,  if 
the  Southern  troops  would  once  come  into  the  State 
and  take  possession  of  certain  strong  points,  the  way 
would  be  open  to  raise  the  wind  against  the  United 
States'  authority  in  Kentucky;  and  this,  by  having 
Gov.  Polk  do  as  he  has  done,  to  wit :  propose  to  with 
draw  all  Southern  troops  from  Kentucky  soil,  on  con 
dition  all  United  States  troops  be  removed  ;  and  on 
condition  United  States  authorities  would  enter  into 
stipulations  writh  Southern  rebels  to  sacredly  respect 
Kentucky's  neutrality.  By  this  trick,  '  Breck.'  hoped 
to  get  the  so-called  Southern  Confederacy  recognized 
by  United  States  ;  also  to  have  Kentucky  recognized 
as  virtually  independent  of  United  States.  In  case 
United  States  should  refuse  to  enter  into  such  stipula- 


tions,  he  hoped  the  peace  party  would  be  able  to  turn 
the  State  against  United  States,  and  make  them  res 
ponsible  for  our  having  war  in  Kentucky  ;  and  thus  in 
crease  disaffection  against  the  United  States  among  our 
people.  But  fortunately  our  Legislature  will  not  pay 
any  attention  to  Gen.  Folk's  proposition,  and  have, 
with  a  very  strong  and  determined  vote,  ordered  our 
governor  to  have  the  Southern  troops  removed,  with 
out  conditions  and  without  ceremony.  This  will  be 
done.  All  that  remains  to  be  seen,  as  yet,  is  whether 
the  secessionists  of  Kentucky  will  have  the  folly  to 
make  common  cause  with  Southern  rebels,  who  have 
invaded  our  State.  If  they  do,  and  attempt  to  resist 
by  arms  the  will  of  Kentucky,  they  will  bring  down  on 
their  own  heads  terrible  things.  Ohio,  Indiana,  and 
Illinois  are  standing  ready  with  15,000  or  20,000  men 
each,  to  hurl  them  on  the  Southern  rebels,  just  as  soon 
as  Kentucky  gets  ready  to  strike.  We  are  all  looking 
for  Gen.  Anderson  to  call  for  volunteers  in  Kentucky  ; 
and  if  he  does,  there  will  be  a  grand  rush  of  our  boys 
to  his  standard." — "  Oct.  2.  Zollicoffer's  force  is  threat 
ening  us,  and  if  our  troops  fail  to  drive  him  back,  we 
will  all  be  overrun  here,  and  many  will  leave.  Troops 
are  coming  in  from  Ohio  and  Indiana,  and  our  people 
are  all  astir  getting  ready  to  go  to  meet  him.  I  am 
hopeful,  and  trust  we  shall  be  permitted  to  dwell  at 
home  in  peace.  The  fact  that  the  Southern  rebels 


84 


have  invaded  our  State,  has  caused  some  of  our  Dis- 
unionists  to  change  their  notions,  and  things  are  now 
working  in  favor  of  the  Union  cause.  If  we  can  gain  a 
victory  over  Buckner  or  Zollicoffer,  we  will  be  in  a  very 
good  way.  We  anticipate  a  fight  soon,  either  at  Mun- 
fordville  or  Bowling  Green." 

In  November  he  left  Mansfield  for  New  Haven  ;  this 
was  his  last  visit  home.  He  Booked  care-worn.  The 
study,  teaching,  and  excitement  of  the  past  year  had 
borne  hard  upon  him.  He  was  cheerful,  though  un 
usually  tender  and  thoughtful. 

"  DANVILLE,  KENTUCKY,  November  12,  1861. 

"  I  attended  the  seminary  exercises  to-day,  so  you 
may  consider  me  fairly  reinstated  in  my  theological 
studies.  The  number  of  students  is  only  twelve,  but 
the  professors  are  all  here,  and  provided  I  can  get  my 
mind  down  to  it,  I  ought  to  be  able  to  make  much 
head-way  this  session.  During  the  invasion  excitement, 
the  Union  men  were  so  aroused,  and  appeared  so  de 
termined,  that  many  Secessionists  have  left,  and  the 
rest  either  turned  Unionists  or  cooled  down.  Be 
sides  10,000  Kentuckians  in  actual  service,  we  have 


85 


17,000  enlisted  and  in  camp,  with  a  good  prospect  of 
raising  10,000  more,  before  January;  so  a  United  States 
army  officer  told  me  Saturday.  Kentucky's  quota  is 
25,000  ;  we  have  therefore  2,000  more  already,  after  only 
three  months'  enlisting.  This  is  pretty  well,  consider 
ing  that  one-third  of  Kentucky  people  were  at  the  start 
Secessionists,  and  that  full  half  that  go  to  the  war,  are 
obliged  to  take  up  arms  against  either  brother,  son,  or 
near  relative.  I  think  Kentucky  ought  to  do  more 
proportionately  than  most  States,  because  she  has  more 
at  stake  ;  but  I  hope  you  will  give  her  credit  for  what 
she  has  done,  and  consider  the  difficulties  her  Union 
men  have  to  contend  with.  The  battle  of  Wild  Cat 
was  fought  thirty  miles  from  Paint  Lick.  The  Home 
Guard,  to  which  I  belong,  went  to  Wild  Cat  on  Satur 
day.  Sunday  night,  one  of  our  Home  Guard  was  shot 
dead,  while  on  picket  duty.  He  left  a  young 
wife  and  two  children.  He  was  buried  with  mar 
tial  honors,  in  the  cemetery  near  uncle's  house  ;  the  turf 
is  still  green  on  his  grave.  The  excitement  at  that 
time  was  intense  ;  I  would  have  given  anything  to  have 
been  there.  The  Secessionists  were  so  scared  after  the 
defeat,  that  many  slept  all  night  in  the  woods.  Uncle 
Jim,  colored  man,  asked  me  yesterday:  'William, 
whar's  Jolly-cuffee  ?  ' — that's  the  name  the  niggers  all 
call  him.  The  niggers  are  all  Union,  because  the  rebels 
have  caught  all  they  could  and  driven  them  South.  Zol- 


86 


licoffer  has  been  driven  to  the  Tennessee  line,  and  the 
inhabitants  are  jubilant ;  they  are  confident  too  that 
Sherman  will  whip  Buckner.  The  detached  divi 
sions  have  been  called  in  toward  the  central  line  in 
front  of  Buckner.  General  Thomas'  division  passed 
through  here,  Wednesday  and  Thursday,  on  their  way  to 
Columbia,  so  as  to  form  the  left  wing  of  Buell's  army. 
On  Friday,  however,  they  suddenly  received  orders  to 
halt ;  they  are  waiting,  probably,  to  allow  General  Nel 
son's  column  to  come  up.  When  the  Seventeenth  Ohio 
regiment  was  marching  through  here,  I  took  off  my  hat 
to  some  of  the  soldiers ;  seeing  which,  one  of  them 
said  :  '  Put  on  your  hat,  young  man,  take  a  musket  and 
come  along  with  us.'  This  remark  of  the  Ohio  soldier 
stung  me,  and  all  the  rest  of  the  day  I  felt  unhappy.  I 
have  often  felt  that  others,  and  among  them  good 
friends,  have  looked  the  same  reproof  into  me.  All  the 
fall,  especially  since  I  came  to  Kentucky,  I  have  been 
feeling  so  dissatisfied  that  I  am  not  actively  serving  my 
country,  that,  at  times,  it  has  been  absolutely  painful. 
Four  of  my  classmates  have  gone  to  fight  for  my  country. 
They  are  probably  shivering  with  cold  to-night,  and 
perhaps  suffering  with  painful  disease,  and  I  am  in  the 
midst  of  comfort  and  comparative  luxury." — "We  have 
been  discussing  '  immortality,'  in  the  seminary.  Oh,  that 
I  could  get  full  of  the  idea  !  I  believe  if  we  thought 
more  of  death,  we  should  increase  our  enjoyment  in 


87 

everything." — "I  am  glad  to  see  you  so  fully  aroused 
for  your  country,  and  I  subscribe  heartily  to  what  you 
say.  '  Three  cheers  for  the  red,  white,  and  blue.'  Of 
course,  I  exult  in  the  thought  of  being  uncle.  Tell 
auntie  to  put  on  her  dignity." 

From  the  fall  of  Sumter  till  he  joined  the  army,  he 
did  not  rest.  The  struggle  was  great.  There  were 
strong  reasons  why  he  should  not  go  to  war;  still,  a 
voice  within  said,  Go.  The  passing  regiment  ;  the  pa 
triotism  of  classmates  already  in  the  field  ;  the  look  of 
a  friend,  and  the  call  of  the  Ohio  soldier — all  spoke  re 
proof — -as  he  said — "  stung  me."  We  think  our  young 
men  brave,  and  willingly  go  forth  to  die,  and  so  it  is  ; 
but  their  very  nearest  friends  know  not  the  magnitude 
of  the  struggle  which  bears  them  on,  slowly  perhaps, 

but  surely,  to  war  and  to  death. 

"  February  i,  1862. 

u  We  have  all  been  rejoicing  over  the  defeat  and  rout 
of  the  rebels  at  Somerset.  I  have  seen  many  of  the 
horses  and  wagons  captured  from  the  enemy.  Zollicof- 
fer's  body  passed  through  here,  but  it  was  not  allowed 
to  be  seen.  I  have  often  seen  Colonel  Fry,  who  shot 


88 


him.     He  is  an  elder  in  the  First  Presbyterian  Church 
in   Danville." 

To  a  classmate  : 

"  I  suppose  you  have  been  indirectly  informed  of  my 
arrival  in  Danville,  and  of  my  continuing  in  the  semi 
nary  instead  of  encamping  on  the  battle-field,  where 
you  might  have  expected  to  find  me,  if  you  remember 
my  valiant  talk,  when  I  saw  you  last.  I  told  the  folks 
at  home  I  would  enlist,  if  our  troops  were  seriously  re 
pulsed,  either  at  Bowling  Green  or  anywhere  in  Ken 
tucky.  This  not  having  occurred,  I  have  not  thought 
myself  called  to  go.  But  I  have,  at  times,  when  I 
have  seen  regiment  after  regiment  pass  through  under 
the  stars  and  stripes,  felt  mean  and  ill  at  ease  that  I 
was  staying  at  home  in  inglorious  safety.  I  have,  not 
withstanding  the  exciting  scenes  so  near  us,  been  ena 
bled  to  do  considerable  studying  this  year;  more,  de 
cidedly,  than  I  did  last  year.  I  expect  to  be  licensed 
to  preach  next  May. 

"  I  have  to  prepare  for  examination  in  April,  besides 
the  regular  studies,  a  Latin  essay  on  justification,  a 
critical  exercise  on  John  i.  1  —  14,  a  lecture  on  Psalms 
xxiii,  and  a  sermon  to  be  preached  on  Acts  ii.  28. 

"  We  have  all  rejoiced  exceedingly  at  the  defeat  of 
Zollicoffer.  While  we  did  not  fear  him  much,  we  knew 
he  threatened  the  Blue-grass  region,  of  which  we  are 


89 


the  center.  Generals  Thomas  and  Choeff  are  in  town, 
to-day.  Everything  indicates  a  speedy  advance  in 
large  and  concentrated  columns  into  Western  Ten 
nessee." 

In  speaking  of  sick  soldiers  around  him,  he  says: 

"  A  poor  Kentucky  soldier  was  left  sick  at  our 
house,  a  month  ago.  He  lived  three  weeks,  and  re 
quired  constant  watching.  I  sat  up  ten  nights  in  suc 
cession,  three  or  four  hours  a  night,  till  I  thought  I 
was  going  to  be  sick  myself;  after  that,  every  other  night 
till  he  died.  I  could  write  a  good  deal  of  him  and  other 
soldiers,  but  will  defer  it  till  we  can  talk.  Some  of  our 
Tennessee  cousins  are  taken  prisoners. 

"  Not  a  word  from  father,  or  F.,  or  Uncle  William, 
in  Tennessee.  People  here  are  all  for  McClellan. 
They  laugh  at  Fremont." 

"April  29,  1862.  —  Presbytery  met  Thursday,  at 
Lancaster,  and  I  was  examined  on  Friday,  and  my  ex 
amination  was  sustained,  as  they  say.  In  the  evening, 
I  preached  my  first  regular  sermon  before  Presby 
tery  and  an  audience  of  the  town's  people,  after  which 
the  Presbytery  licensed  me  to  preach  the  Gospel  as 
a  'probationer'  for  the  ministry. 

"  They  were  not  hard  on  me  in  the  examination,  but 
I  shrunk  from  preaching,  when  I  knew  I  should  be  the 


90 

mark  of  everybody's  criticism.  I  lost  myself  twice,  but 
recovered  in  a  few  seconds,  so  that  I  got  through  with 
out  exactly  failing." 

About  this  time  he  received  an  invitation  from  the 
Presbyterian  Church  at  Greensburg,  Kentucky,  to 
preach  for  them  a  Sabbath  or  two  on  trial.  He  writes  : 

"  An  elder  in  the  Presbyterian  Church  at  Greensburg, 
about  sixty  miles  southwest  of  Danville,  has  written 
me  to  come  and  preach  there  two  or  three  Sundays.  If 
I  am  acceptable  to  the  people,  they  may  invite  me  to 
preach  there  during  the  summer.  I  go  with  a  good 
deal  of  diffidence;  for  it  is  a  strange  place  to  me,  and  I 
understand  there  are  a  good  many  secesh  in  the  church, 
that  make  a  heap  of  trouble." 

He  engaged  to  preach  for  four  months  to  two  churches, 
and  also  to  teach  school  in  the  vicinity  of  Greensburg. 

"June  28. — The  churches  to  which  I  preach,  one  in 
Greensburg,  the  other  in  Ebenezer,  are  both  small  and 
weak,  especially  so  now  in  these  excitements.  In  the 
Greensburg  church  half  the  members  are  Secessionists. 
They  will  scarcely  come  to  hear  me,  much  less  give 


anything  toward  my  support ;  and  this  only  because  I 
am  known  to  be  a  Union  man,  and  pray  for  the  Union  ; 
for  I  have  not,  as  yet,  touched  upon  the  subject  in  my 
sermons.  The  same  may  be  said  of  the  other  church, 
though  in  a  less  degree,  most  being  Union.  The 
Union  members  are  all  that  could  be  wished  ;  firm, 
true,  and  uncompromising." 

"  I  teach  eight  hours  a  day,  as  it  is  the  custom  in 
the  country  schools  to  make  a  whole  day's  work  of  it. 
I  preach  twice  each  Sunday.  Every  other  week  once 
to  the  colored  brethren.  I  feel  that  I  am  getting  into 
my  life-work,  and  hope  I  shall  have  strength  to  pursue 
it  long,  and  that  my  heart  will  not  be  faint." 

"  I  have  had  a  pretty  hard  time  of  it  this  session  be 
tween  studying  and  teaching,  and  though  I  have  been 
blessed  with  health,  I  do  not  feel  that  I  can  go  to  work 
in  my  new  field  with  the  vigor  and  the  strength  that  I 
ought  to  have.  My  sermons  are  a  great  task.  Not 
perhaps  so  much  in  themselves  as  in  their  continual 
anticipation.  From  Monday  morning  to  Sunday  it  is 
continually  weighing  upon  me.  There  is  not  a  moment 
which  school  duties  leave  me,  in  which  I  am  not  un 
comfortable,  unless  I  am  doing  something  toward  that 
sermon  ;  but  the  churches  to  which  I  preach  know  my 
position,  and  I  hope  make  all  the  allowances  due.  I 
have  many  kind  friends  here,  and  everything  in  my  sur 
roundings  seems  to  be  as  pleasant  as  can  be  made." 


92 

To  his  mother : 


"  July  20,  1862. 


"  Upon  the  whole,  I  am  sorry  brother  H.  is  going 
into  the  army,  though  I  shall  not  discourage  him  now. 
I  think  it  would  be  better  for  me  to  go.  I  am  more 
afraid  of  the  terrible  temptations  to  wickedness  in  camp 
life  than  the  dreadful  liability  to  disease.  I  have  seen 
enough  in  Kentucky  to  make  me  fear  for  H.  Still,  un 
der  God's  care,  and  by  ceaseless  prayer  and  watching, 
he  may  overcome  all  evil.  I  feel  that  the  cause  re 
quires  the  sacrifice  of  dearest  interests." 


The  latter  part  of  summer,  1862,  he  made  up  his 
mind  to  come  North  again,  before  he  should  enter 
upon  his  last  session  at  the  seminary.  The  first  of 
September,  having  fulfilled  his  time  at  Greensburg,  he 
made  ready  for  his  anticipated  trip  to  Connecticut. 
His  youngest  brother  had  just  enlisted  in  the  Fifteenth 
Regiment,  Connecticut  Volunteers,  which  was  then  in 
camp,  waiting  orders  to  leave  New  Haven  ;  and  the  fam 
ily  were  very  anxious  that  William  should  reach  home 


93 

A 

before  his  brother  should  be  obliged  to  leave.  When  the 
expected  hour  of  his  arrival  had  come,  the  question  was 
heard  all  over  the  house,  in  going  out  and  coming  in, 
and  at  the  camp  :  "  Has  Willie  come?"  "  Has  <  Bob 
bie  '  come?"  But,  alas!  though  we  thought  we  even 
heard  his  foot-step  upon  the  porch,  no  Willie,  no 
u  Bobbie  "  was  ever  more  to  enter  the  portal  or  greet 
the  inmates  of  his  quiet,  much-loved  earthly  home  ! 

From  the  following  letters  and  journal  will  be  seen 
how  different  the  way  in  which  God  led  him  from  that 
which  he  had  marked  out  for  himself: 

"  LEBANON,  KY.,  Sept.  3d,  1862. 

11  I  am  for  the  present  blockaded  in  this  town.  I  had 
arranged  to  leave  Ireland  Neighborhood  (the  place 
where  he  taught  school),  bright  and  early  last  Monday 
morning,  to  be  in  Danville  Monday  night.  But  last 
Sunday,  Morgan  the  *  Bandit,'  entered  Columbia,  and 
seized  the  stage-horses.  'Monday  evening,  Morgan's 
pickets  were  within  a  mile  of  where  I  was.  I  packed  up 
my  trunk,  and  left  it  at  Mr.  Buchanan's.  I  started  on 
foot  and  reached  Campbellsville  at  9  o'clock  P.  M.  The 


94 


stage  between  Campbellsville  and  Lebanon  did  not  run, 
for  fear  of  being  captured,  so  I  had  to  walk  to  this  place. 
While  on  my  way,  I  was  arrested  by  the  Federal  pickets, 
and  detained  several  hours,  but,  after  seeing  the  colonel 
in  command,  giving  him  all  the  information  I  had,  and 
explaining  my  own  actions,  he  gave  me  a  pass,  and  set 
me  on  my  way  rejoicing.  He  said  if  he  had  had  ahorse 
to  spare,  he  would  have  given  me  one.  I  reached  Leba 
non  Tuesday  afternoon,  and  here  I  have  been  since.  No 
one  can  pass  out  toward  Danville,  because  the  enemy 
are  there.  I  am  therefore  for  the  present  locked  up 
here  and  my  trunk, *  for  aught  I  know,  captured  by 
rebels.  But  I  guess  not.  Last  Friday  our  forces  were 
whipped  near  Richmond.  The  result  is,  Frankfort, 
Lexington,  Harrodsburg,  and  the  railroad  most  up  to 
Cincinnati,  are  in  the  hands  of  the  rebels.  There  is 
some  apprehension  of  an  attack  on  Lebanon,  and  we 
may  have  a  fight.  I  think  likely  there  will  be  no 
seminary  this  year." 

"LOUISVILLE,  KY.,  Sept.  i2th,  1862. 
*'  Here  I  am  in  this  city,  thrown  by  the  waves  of  the 


*  His  trunk,  which  was  carefully  made  ready  for  his  journey  to  Con 
necticut,  was  detained  at  Lebanon,  the  village  in  which  he  was  block 
aded,  where  it  was  pillaged  by  Morgan's  guerillas.  A  small  testament 
and  portfolio,  afterward  found,  were  the  only  articles  recovered  from  its 
contents. 


95 

war  on  to  the  banks  of  the  beautiful  Ohio,  and  right 
glad  am  I,  in  all  my  perplexity,  that,  at  last,  I  am  where 
I  can  write.  I  wrote  last  from  Lebanon,  where  I  was 
penned  up  for  a  little  while,  by  the  Federal  forces. 
After  Morgan  left  Danville  for  Lexington,  I  succeeded 
in  getting  a  pass  for  Danville,  where  I  arrived  last  Fri 
day.  There  were  no  rebel  troops  there,  then,  but  they 
had  left  their  mark  behind.  The  seminary  was  broken 
up.  I  met  Uncle  there  ;  he  had  left  Paint  Lick — after 
hiding  a  day  or  two  in  the  woods — as  rebel  troops  had 
been  to  his  house  to  arrest  him.  He  did  not  think  it 
safe  to  stay  in  Danville,  and  has  gone  to  Louisville.  I 
went  on  to  Paint  Lick,  and  preached  there,  Sunday,  but 
didn't  think  it  wise  to  stay  long.  I  did  not  much  fear 
being  arrested,  but  every  day  made  it  more  difficult  to 
get  out  of  the  Confederate  lines.  So,  early  Monday 
morning  I  returned  to  Danville,  and  arrived  there  in 
time  to  see  a  brigade  of  rebels,  with  the  banner  of  treach 
ery  floating  over  them,  march  into  town.  I  went  to 
Dr.  Humphrey,  the  only  professor  remaining  in  Dan 
ville,  to  ask  his  advice  as  to  my  course  of  action,  and 
what  he  thought  of  a  minister  turning  soldier.  He  said 
he  did  not  think  I  was  called  to  go  into  the  army,  and 
that  I  had  better  go  to  Princeton.  He  advised  me,  more 
over,  to  try  and  get  a  chaplaincy  in  some  regiment.  I 
told  him  there  was  no  way  of  my  getting  one.  Where 
upon  he  wrote  a  letter  of  introduction  and  recommenda- 


tion  for  me  to  General  Boyle,  and  told  me  to  hide  it 
about  my  person,  and  make  for  Louisville.  I  left  my 
baggage  and,  by  walking  half  the  night,  I  evaded  the 
Confederate  pickets,  and  got  beyond  their  lines  by  day 
break.  With  some  trouble  and  expense,  I  reached  Louis 
ville,  Wednesday  evening.  As  to  my  gettinga  chaplaincy, 
all  is  very  doubtful.  The  vacancies  are  all  in  regiments 
far  away  in  Buell's  army,  and  I  am  not  acquainted  with 
a  single  regimental  officer  in  those  regiments.  However, 
I  shall  consider  the  chance  worth  waiting  for.  If  I  do 
not  succeed  in  getting  a  chaplaincy,  I  shall  enlist  as  a 
private  soldier.  I  cannot  go  to  Princeton,  and  if  I 
should  go,  I  couldn't  study  to  any  advantage,  with  the 
conflicting  emotions  which  these  times  produce  in  my 
breast.  Ah!  I  have  been  disappointed  in  all  my  plans. 
Let  us  follow  where  our  Saviour  leads.  Keep  close  to 
him." 

September  24.  "  Monday  the  people  got  scared, 
and  began  moving  away.  I  helped  pack  up  two  or  three 
families,  and  one  large  store,  and,  at  night,  joined  the 
National  Guard,  Company  B.  I  am  a  private  ;  we  have 
been  expecting  hourly  to  be  assigned  to  some  duty,  but 
as  yet,  we  are  only  drilling.  This  is  a  battalion  of  State 
Militia.  In  case  I  get  a  commission  as  chaplain,  I  can 
leave  it.  But  if  not,  I  shall  stay  with  it,  at  least 
three  months.  There  are  a  thousand  rumors  in  the 
city  to-day.  Buell  is  said  to  be  quite  near,  and  will 


97 


be  here  to-morrow.     If  this  be  so,  our  danger  is   avert 
ed." 

September  25.  "  Friday  most  of  Buell's  army  got  here. 
Colonel  Hobson,  of  the  Thirteenth  Regiment  Kentucky 
Volunteers,  with  whose  family  I  became  acquainted  at 
Greensburg,  offered  me  the  position  of  chaplain  in  his 
regiment,  as  there  happened  to  be  a  vacancy.  I  gladly 
accepted,  and  yesterday  obtained  a  commission  from 
the  Adjutant-General.  I  am  therefore  now  regularly 
the  Chaplain  of  the  Thirteenth  Kentucky  Volunteers. 
It  is  now  encamped  about  two  miles  from  the  city. 
While  a  member  of  the  Independent  National  Guards, 
I  was  under  drill  a  good  part  of  the  time  ;  we  were  de 
tailed  as  guards  in  the  city,  while  the  other  soldiers 
went  to  the  fortifications.  Night  before  last  I  was  out 
all  night,  and  was  marching  pretty  much  all  the  time. 
We  had  to  pick  up  straggling  soldiers,  and  send  them  to 
their  regiments,  or  put  them  in  the  guard-house,  and  to 
arrest  all  suspicious-looking  persons.  It  made  me  very 
tired,  but  I  have  felt  very  well  to-day." — "  These  are 
busy  times  ;  all  the  regiments  have  orders  to  be  ready 
to  march  at  a  moment's  notice.  I  must  get  me  some 
kind  of  an  outfit.  I  expect  to  sleep  in  camp  to-morrow 
night,  and  on  this  account  I  write  to-day,  although  it  is 
Sabbath.  I  went  out  to  camp  this  morning  to  make 
some  arrangements  for  preaching.  The  Colonel  ap 
pointed  4  o'clock  this  afternoon  ;  I  went  out  again  at 

7 


98 


the  appointed  time,  and  found  that  the  regiment  mean 
time  had  been  sent  out  on  picket  duty,  so  that  I  could 
not  preach.  I  shall,  no  doubt,  meet  many  such  obsta 
cles  in  my  work.  Please  remember  me  in  your  prayers, 
that  I  may  not  be  negligent  in  the  duties  of  my  office, 
or  in  using  all  my  opportunities  for  doing  good.  You 
know  I  am  not  yet  a  regularly-ordained  minister,  and 
therefore  cannot  be  mustered  into  service.  I  shall  be 
ordained  as  soon  as  I  get  to  Danville,  3Oth.  The  city- 
yesterday  was  much  excited  about  the  death  of  General 
Nelson.  The  funeral  takes  place  to-day." 


The  following  extracts  are  taken  from  his  war  record 
on  the  march  from  Louisville,  Kentucky,  to  Nashville 
Tennessee: 


CAMP  OF  THE  sth  DIVISION,  ] 

ARMY  OF  THE  OHIO, 

24  miles  south  of  Louisville.  J 

"  I  am  actually  in  the  midst  of  war  scenes  ;  not  ex 
actly  the  cannon's  roar,  or  the  smoke  of  angry  batteries, 
but  the  din  of  camp  preparations — the  smoke  of  a  thou 
sand  camp-fires,  and,  more  than  all,  dreadful  oaths  and 
curses,  which  seem  to  fly  on  every  passing  breath  of 


99 


air.  We  are  now  on  what  is  called  a  '  forced  march, 
although  we  are  not  going  very  fast.  I  am  now  writing 
right  on  the  ground,  cross-legged,  with  my  paper  on 
my  knee.  The  I3th  Kentucky  is  two  rods  on  my  left, 
and  the  79th  Ohio  two  rods  on  my  right.  On  Wed 
nesday  the  1st,  our  regiment  was  ordered  to  move. 
We  camped  12  miles  from  Louisville,  Wednesday  night. 
I  am  taking  it  on  foot  for  the  present.  But,  fall  in  ! 
fall  in !  is  the  order  along  the  line ;  so  good-by." — u  Thurs 
day,  it  was  the  turn  of  our  brigade  and  the  nth  to  lead 
the  advance ;  so  we  marched  along  behind  the  cavalry 
and  artillery.  We  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  Rebel 
scouts  and  pickets." — "  From  Floyd's  Creek  there  is 
an  ascent  of  about  four  miles  up  to  Mt.  Washington. 
We  went  up  the  ascent  through  the  woods  in  line  of 
battle,  and  took  the  camp  of  the  Rebel  regiments  of 
cavalry,  who  had  evacuated  it  before  we  could  reach 
them.  The  day  before,  in  some  skirmishing  between 
the  cavalry,  two  of  our  men  were  killed.  They  were 
both  shot  in  the  head,  and  presented  a  sad  and  dread 
ful  spectacle  to  me.  I  hope  I  shall  see  no  more  such, 
but  I  am  afraid  I  shall  see  many. 

"  Saturday,  we  marched  three  miles  toward  Bards- 
town.  The  advance  of  our  column  had  a  severe  skir 
mish  with  the  rear  guard  of  the  Rebels  just  on  the  edge 
of  Bardstown ;  we  had  seven  wounded,  that  escaped, 
and  lost  some  prisoners.  The  Rebels  left  six  killed  in 


IOO 


Bardstown.     They  got  the  advantage  of  us  in  the  skir 
mish,  but  they  retreated  very  fast  after  it. 

"  Our  division,  on  Saturday,  picked  up  six  Rebel 
soldiers  and  one  captain  ;  I  conversed  with  the  captain 
some  time  ;  he  was  a  gentlemanly,  clean,  polite  fellow, 
but  an  incorrigible  Secessionist."' — "  I  woke  yesterday 
to  find  one  of  the  most  beautiful  Sabbath  mornings 
breaking  upon  me  that  I  ever  beheld  ;  but  it  saddened 
me,  when  I  saw  that  it  made  no  change  in  camp  life. 
The  reveille  was  sounded  as  usual  ;  the  bugles  an 
swered  one  another  from  camp  to  camp  ;  the  aides  flew 
round  to  give  the  orders  of  the  day  ;  and  by  seven 
o'clock,  '  Fall  in  !  fall  in  !  '  fell  from  the  adjutant's  lips 
as  sternly  as  ever,  and  away  we  marched,  the  majority 
of  us,  perhaps,  without  knowing  it  was  God's  holy  day. 
It  was  our  turn  to  lead  the  whole  '  corps  d'armee  ;  ' 
skirmishers  were  detailed  from  our  regiment  to  right 
and  left  ;  we  were  evidently  on  the  track  of  the  enemy. 
The  road  we  were  following  was  beaten  smooth  by 
the  tramp  of  the  retreating  Rebels  ;  and  we  saw  the 
smoke  of  their  still-burning  camp  fires,  and  picked  up 
some  fifteen  stragglers  ;  we  captured  from  them  about 
a  dozen  muskets  and  three  horses.  I  pitied  the  poor 
fellows,  and  talked  particularly  with  three  of  them,  all 
of  whom  said  they  did  not  enter  the  army  voluntarily 
Two  of  them  expressed  a  willingness  to  take  the  oath 
of  allegiance. 


101 


"  We  halted  last  night  on  the  Bardstown  pike  road 
about  sun-down  ;  there  was  no  chance  to  preach  through 
the  day  ;  I  proposed  to  preach  at  night,  but  the  poor, 
hungry  soldiers,  as  soon  as  they  had  eaten  their  scanty 
meal,  wanted  to  lie  down  to  sleep,  and  I  felt  so,  too,  I 
must  say.  A  few  of  us  got  together  and  sang  a 
few  hymns,  and  thus  ended  my  first  Sabbath  in  the 
army. 

"  Our  staff-wagon,  even,  did  not  get  up  with  the  regi 
ment  ;  I  had  nothing  but  a  thin  summer  coat  on,  and 
the  night  was  decidedly  cool  ;  I  was  glad  to  accept 
from  the  Colonel  the  loan  of  a  thin  horse-blanket.  I 
caught  snatches  of  sleep,  to  wake  up  every  half  hour, 
and  find  myself  shivering.  I  would  get  up  and  put  some 
more  fence-rails — which  for  aught  I  know  were  stolen  — 
on  the  fire  ;  then,  after  warming  myself  all  around,  I 
would  lie  down  and  sleep  till  I  got  thoroughly  chilled  ; 
and  so  on,  throughout  the  night.  I  was  heartily  glad 
when  morning  came,  although  I  was  not  rested,  and 
had  nothing  to  eat.  To-day  our  regiment,  instead  of 
being  the  extreme  front,  is  in  the  rear  even  of  the  bag 
gage-train  ;  so  we  have  to  wait  in  camp  to  let  the  whole 
corps  pass  by.  I  improved  the  opportunity  by  bathing 
in  '  Beech  Fork.'  When  I  got  back,  our  wagons  were 
coming  into  camp  ;  so  the  next  thing  was  to  get  break 
fast.  I  then  attended  to  some  things  about  baggage, 
etc.  It  was  by  that  time  one  o'clock.  Still  the  army 


102 


was  moving — moving — moving.  It  is  now  nine  hours 
since  the  advance  passed.  This  is  what  has  given  me 
time  to  write,  but  we  will  soon  be  going." 

"  I  am  not  unhappy  in  my  position  ;  I  feel  it  is  just 
the  place  for  me  ;  it  will  help  me  to  serve  my  country; 
to  administer  to  the  wants  of  my  suffering  fellow-crea 
tures  without  deserting  the  peculiar  work  which  my 
Father  has  called  me  to  do.  The  future  is  bright  before 
me.  The  petty  hardships  I  am  occasionally  called  to 
undergo  are  far  more  than  balanced  by  the  conscious 
ness  that  I  am  engaged  in  a  noble,  a  righteous  cause. 

"  October  8.  On  the  road  sixteen  miles  west  of  Dan 
ville.  Monday,  we  marched  till  nearly  midnight,  and 
camped  at  Springfield.  Yesterday,  we  had  a  tedious 
march;  at  times  it  was  really  distressing.  The  day  was 
hot  and  sultry,  and  we  found  no  water.  Thirty  thou 
sand  soldiers  drained  the  last  drop,  and  I  gladly  drank 
the  filthiest  water.  We  were  obliged  to  go  five  miles 
out  of  our  way  to  get  to  the  stream.  Thousands  of 
soldiers  fell  out  by  the  way  perfectly  exhausted.  I  am 
told  we  have  picked  up  about  three  thousand  pris 
oners  in  all.  Buell  has  the  perfect  confidence  of  the 
army.  He  has  at  least  seventy-five  thousand  troops  in 
the  field,  which  left  Louisville  all  the  same  morning. 
Crittenden's  corps,  in  which  I  am,  has  at  least  twenty- 
five  thousand  ;  Thomas'  and  McCook's  command,  each 
a  corps.  I  think  we  shall  sweep  the  State  ;  all  so  far  is 


io3 


highly  successful.  There  is  also  a  force  advancing 
down  from  Cincinnati." — "  On  Wednesday,  the  8th 
October,  a  severe  battle  was  fought  at  Perryville,  twelve 
miles  west  of  Danville.  Crittenden's  corps  was  not 
seriously  engaged,  but  the  left  wing  suffered  severely. 
The  battle-field  is  a  terrible  sight." 

"  October  22.  Between  Danville  and  Perryville,  Mor 
gan's  band  attacked  and  drove  in  our  pickets,  but  was 
speedily  repulsed.  The  attack,  however,  delayed  us  a 
day.  Our  brigade,  on  Friday,  was  obliged  to  march 
and  stand  in  a  cold  rain  for  over  six  hours,  and  then  it 
was  long  after  dark  before  we  could  get  into  camp  and 
have  any  fires  made.  The  result  was,  that  I  was  very 
sick.  If  we  had  marched  far  on  Saturday,  I  don't 
think  I  could  have  borne  it. 

"  The  regiment  moved  on  toward  Crab-Orchard  and 
Mt.  Vernon;  I  left  in  order  to  spend  a  night  at  Paint 
Lick.  When  I  had  arrived  in  sight  of  uncle's  house, 
I  ran  right  into  some  Rebel  pickets.  I  was  somewhat 
alarmed,  as  the  day  before  I  had  bought  a  horse  and  I 
expected  to  lose  it  '  instantcr'  Fortunately,  however, 
I  had  no  badge  of  any  kind  on  my  person.  The  first 
question  they  asked  me,  was  where  I  lived  ?  I  pointed 
to  uncle's  house,  and  said,  there.  Two  pickets  were 
detailed  to  accompany  me  to  the  house,  and  I  got 
home  safe. 

11  The  next  day  I  took  to   the  woods  and  corn-fields, 


104 


and  got  safely  beyond  the  Rebel  lines,  and  went  imme 
diately  to  Crab-Orchard,  where  I  gave  the  information 
at  head-quarters.  Saturday,  I  caught  up  with  the  regi 
ment,  two  miles  beyond  Rockcastle  River.  Sunday,  I 
preached.  The  regiment  was  seated  on  the  ground  all 
around.  I  talked  as  well  as  I  could,  from  the  text, 
'  Prepare  to  meet  thy  God.'  Soon  after,  orders  came 
for  marching.  We  went  beyond  Wild-Cat,  over  some 
of  the  roughest  roads  and  wildest  country  that  ever 
man  beheld.  We  camped  Sunday  night  in  the  woods, 
in  Laurel  County,  a  few  miles  north  of  Loudon." 

He  left  the  regiment  now  for  a  day  or  two  to  attend 
his  ordination. 

''October  25,  1862. — I  was  ordained  last  night  at 
Danville,  and  am  now  a  regular  minister  of  the  Gospel." 

He  had  been  a  student  of  theology  at  Danville  two 
years,  and,  although  he  had  been  interrupted  in  his 
studies  by  teaching,  as  he  had  been  in  college,  yet  it 
will  appear  by  the  following  extracts,  that  he  made 
such  proficiency  in  his  work  as  to  give  ample  satisfac 
tion  to  the  officers  and  trustees  of  the  seminary. 


From  Rev.  A.  A.  Hogue,  one  of  the  trustees  of  the 
seminary  : 

"  It  was  my  duty,  as  well  as  pleasure,  to  be  at  the 
examination  of  the  students  of  the  seminary,  at  the 
close  of  each  session.  In  these  examinations  William 
always  stood  at  the  head,  among  the  first  of  his  class, 
making  the  contrast  evident  to  everyone  present  of  the 
superiority  of  his  attainments,  and  the  ardor  of  his 
studies.  He  was  a  young  man  of  mark,  even  in  the 
seminary.  There  was  added  to  this  much  undissembled 
humility,  such  total  absence  of  self,  such  absorption  in 
his  studies,  as  was  charming  in  the  highest  degree  to 
the  visitors  and  hearers.  I  was  at  the  Presbytery 
meeting  at  which  he  was  licensed  to  preach  the  gospel. 
His  trial  pieces  were  of  the  very  highest  order.  This  I 
say  deliberately,  after  an  experience  in  this  same  Pres 
bytery  of  some  twenty-three  years  in  licensing  young 
men,  and  we  have  during  that  period  licensed  some 
that  are  now  doing  a  good  work,  and  stand  deservedly 
high  in  the  annals  of  the  Church.  His  power  of  analy 
sis  was  very  great,  and  his  logical  power  was  such,  that 
he  would  follow  a  subject  out  into  all  its  ramifications, 
setting  forth  with  great  power  and  truthfulness  the 
leading  parts  of  the  text.  He  had  fine  abilities  as  a 
speaker.  He  was  fluent  and  easy,  making  a  fine  im 
pression  on  his  audience,  and  carrying  home  with  great 


io6 


power  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus.  But  while  he  was  re 
markable  in  these  respects,  he  was  even  more  remark 
able  for  his  simple,  unostentatious  piety.  This  was  the 
great  charm  that  gave  him  power  with  the  people. 
They  believed  in  his  goodness,  in  his  sincerity  as  a 
Christian." 

Dr.  Breckinridge,  President  of  the  Seminary,  Profes 
sors  Humphrey  and  Yerkes,  unitedly  speak  of  him  in 
the  following  note  :— 

11  All  accounts  agree  in  representing  his  work  as  a  li 
centiate  as  having  given  great  promise  of  future  useful 
ness,  and  his  short  service  as  chaplain  in  the  army  as 
being  in  full  accordance  with  that  promise.  Our  know 
ledge  of  him  was  chiefly  as  a  student  under  our  care  up 
to  the  period  of  licensure,  and  we  take  a  melancholy 
pleasure  in  declaring  our  confidence  in  him,  our  respect 
and  esteem  for  him,  and  our  assured  hopes  concerning 
him.  His  conduct  was,  as  it  appeared  before  us,  wholly 
blameless  ;  his  example  profitable  in  all  things  to  his 
fellow-students  ;  his  success  in  his  studies  very  marked, 
and  his  whole  character  and  his  attainments,  both  in 
divine  and  human  knowledge,  seemed  to  point  him  out 
as  one  whom  the  Lord  had  chosen  and  fitted  to  do  much 
for  His  blessed  cause.  All  that  is  known  to  us  of  his 
previous  life,  before  he  came  to  the  Danville  Theologi- 


cal  Seminary,  adds  to  the  mysterious  Providence  of  his 
early  death,  which  to  weak  human  judgment  would 
seem  to  be  one  of  the  innumerable  blows  falling  upon 
the  Church  in  these  sad  times." 

To  his  brother  H.  : 

"  November  i,  1862. 

"  I  have  found  it  extremely  difficult  during  our  march 
from  Louisville  in  chase  of  Bragg,  to  write  at  all.  We 
are  now  in  Green  county,  where  I  preached  during  the 
summer,  and  I  am  writing  in  the  house  of  one  of  my 
parishioners.  I  have  been  well  most  of  the  time,  and 
well  enough  to  march  all  the  time.  On  this  march  we 
have  been  without  the  sign  of  a  tent.  Often  the  staff- 
wagon  has  not  been  up  with  us,  and  I  have  slept  several 
nights  with  nothing  but  a  horse-blanket  under  me,  and 
the  sky  as  a  star-spangled  banner  over  me.  The 
weather  has  been  precisely  such  as  I  would  wish  to 
gradually  harden  me  to  the  service.  Buell  has'nt  caught 
Bragg.  I  understand  he  is  superseded  and  that  Rose- 
crans  takes  his  place.  I  have  had  very  little  opportu 
nity  to  preach.  We  have  had  several  prayer-meetings, 
and  my  work  looks  brighter  and  easier  as  I  get  ac 
quainted  with  the  men.  Our  army,  I  expect,  is  now 
making  for  Nashville.  Tell  me  all  about  your  chaplain 
and  the  meetings  in  your  regiment.  By  the  way,  don't 


io8 


neglect  the  prayer-meeting.  Tell  me  all  about  your 
health,  and  duties  and  doings  ;  all  about  the  brigades 
and  their  stations,  and  commanders.  Now,  do  your 
duty  on  all  occasions,  it  is  ever  the  path  of  safety. 
Write  home  frequently  ;  be  constant  in  prayer ;  put  on 
the  whole  armor  of  God ;  pray  for  your  brother." 
"  November  4.  I  am  again  at  Greensburg.  Friday 
we  reached  Columbia.  As  this  was  very  near  to  Green 
county  where  our  regiment  was  mostly  raised,  permis 
sion  was  given  to  the  men  and  officers  to  '  go  home  ' 
for  three  days  and  report  in  Glasgow.  This  opportu 
nity  of  visiting  their  homes  was  joyfully  accepted  by 
the  men,  most  of  whom  had  not  been  home  for  thirteen 
or  fourteen  months.  Friday  night  I  staid  in  Ebenezer. 
Saturday  I  came  down  with  Colonel  Hobson  to  Greens- 
burg,  and  preached  here  on  Sunday  morning.  I  then 
went  back  and  preached  in  the  afternoon  at  Ebenezer. 
Monday  morning  I  went  over  to  Ireland  and  visited  the 
school-house,  where  I  saw  many  of  my  old  scholars." 


"  Nov.  n,  CAMP  NEAR  SILVER  SPRINGS,  ) 

between  Nashville  and  Gallatin, 

and  south  of  Cumberland  River.  ) 

"  When  I  left  Greensburg,  by  the  kindness  of  Mr. 
Wilson,  I  was  furnished  with  a  horse  to  ride  to  Glas 
gow.  The  regiment  I  found  had  left  Glasgow  the  same 


io9 


morning.  I  took  up  the  line  of  march  and  overtook  it 
just  as  it  entered  Scottsville.  Friday,  we  reached  the 
State  line,  and  bid  good-bye  to  old  Kentucky.  Our  men 
were  fresh  from  their  homes,  they  had  clean  shirts,  and 
clean  faces,  and  crossed  the  line  with  willing  steps,  yet 
all  seemed  to  feel  as  if  they  were  going  from  home. 
We  camped  that  night  for  the  first  time  on  the  soil  of 
a  seceded  State.  Saturday  night,  we  camped  on  the 
Cumberland,  a  little  below  Gallatin  ;  we  rested  there 
Sunday,  and  a  delightful  day  of  rest  it  was.  I  preached, 
in  the  morning,  to  a  large,  attentive  audience." — "  We 
had  prayer-meeting  last  night ;  a  few  good  humble 
Christians  attend.  Although  the  number  is  small,  I  be 
lieve  that  the  prayer-meeting  is  the  place  where  the 
most  good  will  be  effected.  The  health  of  the  regiment 
is  good.  My  own  health  never  was  better  ;  I  hope  for 
the  best.  But  when  the  cold  damp  rains  of  a  Southern 
winter  come,  it  will  be  a  different  thing  from  the  pleas 
ant  weather  of  the  fall.  Morgan's  cavalry  is  prowling 
about  us,  and  teazing  us  considerably.  This  morning 
some  of  his  men  made  a  dash  within  two  miles  of  our 
camp,  and  picked  up  some  fifty  of  our  men,  and  were  off 
in  a  trice.  He's  hard  to  catch,  and  I'm  afraid  neither 
Rosecrans,  nor  any  one  else,  will  do  much  better  than 
Buell,  with  the  old  rascal" 


110 


To  Dwight  Peck/-  who,  together  with  several  of  his 
scholars  had  enlisted  in  the  United  States  army : 

"CAMP  SEVEN  MILES  EAST  OF  NASHVILLE,  ) 
"  November  24,  1862.  ) 

"  I  was  at  the  battle  of  Perry ville,  but  being  on  the 
right  wing,  our  regiment  was  not  in  the  action.  I  went 
over  a  portion  of  the  battlefield,  and  saw  horrible  sights. 
I  think  General  Buell  has  faults,  but  by  no  means  de 
serves  the  censure  which  he  has  generally  received. 
We  all  give,  however,  a  hearty  support  to  General 
Rosecrans,  and  hope  he  will  be  speedily  successful  in 
the  highest  degree. 

*'  I  think  you  did  well  to  vote  for  Buckingham  at  the 
time.  If  all  the  Democrats  had  done  as  you  did,  we 
would  have  had  one  grand  Union  party.  Would  that 
all  good  Union-loving  men  would  join  and  save  the 
nation. 

"  On  our  march  we  moved  every  Sunday.  I  am  get 
ting  acquainted  with  the  men,  and  hope  to  do  good  by 


*  This  worthy  and  patriotic  young  man  —  Dwight  Peck  —  died  of 
typhoid  fever  at  the  regimental  hospital,  opposite  Fredericksburg,  Vir 
ginia,  on  the  1 2th  of  January,  1863,  just  one  month  and  nine  days  after 
William's  death.  He  was  the  sou  of  Pearl  Peck,  Esq.,  of  North  Wind- 
ham,  Connecticut. 


Ill 


conversation.  Pray  for  me,  Dwight,  and  for  yourself. 
Keep  your  integrity,  and  don't  give  way  to  the  least  in 
fraction  of  the  right.  Remember  me  with  much  affec 
tion  and  regard  to  Charlie  F.,  to  Alvin,  to  Osmore,  to 
Henry  B.,  and  Madison,  and  any  other  scholars  who 
are  with  you,  not  forgetting  Captain  S. 

11  Stand  by  each  other  in  times  of  temptation.  Be 
ware  of  the  first  '  tip  of  whisky,'  even  on  a  weary 
march — the  first  profane  expression  or  vulgarity.  God 
bless  and  guide  you  all." 

"  SILVER  SPRINGS,  WILSON  Co.,  TENN., 
"  November  17,  1862. 

"  The  main  body  of  the  army  is  in  Nashville.  Crit- 
tenden's  Corps  is  here,  about  twenty  miles  from  there. 
We  staid  in  camp  from  Monday  till  Friday.  This  was 
the  longest  rest  we  have  had  since  leaving  Louisville, 
but  as  we  were  expecting  to  move  all  the  time,  and 
were  occasionally  ordered  into  line  of  battle,  we  did 
not  profit  much  by  it.  Sunday,  we  marched  twenty 
miles.  I  got  wet  through  and  through,  but  I  went  to 
bed  dry  and  warm,  which  many  of  the  soldiers  couldn't 
do,  as  they  had  no  clothes  to  change.  My  work  has 
been  rather  discouraging,  though  I  feel  nothing  like 
despairing  of  seeing  brighter  and  cheerier  times. 
There  are  some  good  Christian  men  in  the  regiment, 


112 


and  I  hope  we  will   be  able  to  strengthen  ourselves. 
Not  many  Union  people  hereabouts." 

The  letter  from  which  the  above  extract  was  taken 
was  the  last  he  sent  home,  though  he  wrote  at  a  later 
date  to  some  of  his  friends.  The  last  account  he  had 
given  of  his  health,  November  nth,  was:  "My  own 
health  was  never  better." 


The  members  of  his  family  were  now  separated,  no 
two  of  them  together.  The  father  was  in  Mississippi, 
the  elder  brother  in  North  Carolina,  the  sisters  in  Con 
necticut,  the  younger  brother  in  the  army,  and  the 
mother  in  Granville,  Ohio. 

Thus  separated,  while  each  one  was  anxiously  wait 
ing  to  hear  from  him  again,  the  heartrending  telegram 
announcing  his  death,  reached  his  mother  in  Ohio  on 
the  afternoon  of  the  3d  of  December,  1862.  The  in 
tervening  week  between  the  announcement  of  his  death 
and  the  receiving  of  Adjutant  Woodruff's  letter,  was  a 


week  not  to  be  forgotten.  The  fact — and  only  the  fact 
—had  reached  us,  that  our  promising  son  and  brother 
was  dead.  His  father  and  brother  F.  could  not  even 
be  informed  of  the  sad  fact.  His  brother  H.,  then  in 
the  midst  of  battle  before  Fredericksburg,  Virginia — 
his  sisters — what  a  sudden  blow  to  them  !  His  mother, 
although  separated  from  her  own  family,  was  yet  in 
the  midst  of  relatives  and  sympathizing  friends.  Her 
aged  father,  over  four  score  years  and  ten,  mourning 
and  laboring  to  soothe  his  heart-striken  daughter  by 
his  comforting  words  and  prayers.  A  loving  sister, 
whose  heart  was  full  of  kindness  and  tender  sympathy, 
and  many  other  friends  .manifesting  sorrow  in  her  sor 
row.  In  1860,  after  William  left  for  Kentucky,  his 
mother  had  a  short  dream.  Two  students  were  walking- 

o 

on  the  opposite  side  of  the  street  from  the  house  ;  one 
said   to   the   other:   "  William   C.    Johnston    is    dead." 
The   same   words  came   in    the   telegram,   the  word 
"  Rev.  "  only  being  prefixed. 


114 


FROM   ADJUTANT   WOODRUFF,  OF   THE  I3TH    KY.  REGT. 

"  MUNFORDVILLE,  KY.,  Dec.  4,  1862. 

"  MRS.  JOHNSTON: — It  is  my  painful  duty  to  inform 
you  of  the  death  of  your  excellent  son — the  Chaplain 
of  our  regiment.  We  left  Nashville  on  the  25th  Nov. 
On  Thursday,  the  27th,  he  complained  of  having  a  cold, 
and  feeling  unwell.  We  were  on  our  return  from  Ten- 

o 

nessee  to  this  place ;  but,  owing  to  various  trivial  acci 
dents  to  the  locomotive,  we  were  detained  on  the  road 
until  Sunday,  Nov.  30.  Upon  arriving  at  this  place, 
Col.  Hobson,  Col.  Carlile,  and  Capt.  Thompson  had  him 
removed  to  a  hotel.  He  seemed  to  get  a  little  worse, 
but  no  anxiety  was  felt  for  him.  During  the  night  of 
the  2d  (Tuesday),  he  became  alarmingly  ill,  and  Wed 
nesday  morning,  the  surgeon  pronounced  that  he  would 
not  live  through  the  day. 

"  I  visited  him  about  half-past  9  o'clock  A.  M.  He 
seemed  to  breathe  hard,  and  suffered  some.  Rev. 
James  C.  Rush,  who  was  in  attendance,  determined  to 
inform  him  of  his  real  condition.  He  called  him,  and 
Mr.  Johnston  turned  on  his  back,  and  Mr.  Rush  told 
him  his  time  was  short  in  this  world,  and  if  he  had  any 
directions  to  give,  he  would  receive  them.  He  then 
gave  your  name  and  that  of  two  sisters,  wishing  to  be 


remembered  to  you  It  was  with  great  difficulty  he 
spoke.  After  a  moment's  pause,  he  quoted  a  passage 
of  Scripture,  which  I  could  not  understand.  I  then 
suggested  to  him,  if  he  would  have  me  telegraph  to 
you.  He  replied  in  the  affirmative.  I  then  took  leave 
of  him,  and  he  gave  me  his  blessing,  which  were  the 
last  intelligible  words  he  uttered. 

"  I  proceeded  to  the  office  and  telegraphed.  He  was 
very  low.  While  waiting  there,  I  received  intelligence 
that  he  was  dead,  which  I  immediately  telegraphed  to 
you.  He  died  about  10  o'clock  A.  M.,  Dec.  3d,  of 
typhoid  pneumonia,  and  was  buried  this  morning  at 
the  same  hour,  in  the  private  burying-ground  of  Mr. 
Robert  Munford,  a  Presbyterian  gentleman  of  this 
place.  The  regiment  accompanied  the  corpse  to  the 
grave.  Our  acquaintance  with  your  son  was  short, 
but,  in  that  time,  he  proved  himself  a  devoted  Christian 
and  an  honorable  man.  He  was  universally  beloved 
by  the  regiment,  and  ever  received  the  highest  esteem 
of  officers  and  men.  He  was  attended  in  his  illness  by 
Assistant  Surgeon  Edward  S.  Cooper,  assisted  by  Dr. 
Gardner,  of  Woodsonville.  Private  Thomas  J.  Carey, 
Company  A,  an  excellent  nurse,  attended  him  day  and 
night.  Captain  Wallace  Victor  occupied  the  same 
room,  and  rendered  him  every  attention  in  his  power. 
Rev.  James  C.  Rush  was  present,  and  did  all  in  his 
power  to  soothe  his  last  moments.  In  writing  you  this 


painful  intelligence,  I  am  desired  to  give  you  the  sin- 
cerest  sympathy  of  Col.  Hobson,  Col.  Carlile,  Major 
Hobson,  and  every  officer  in  the  regiment.  All  unite 
in  sending  their  kindest  regards  to  your  afflicted  family. 
"  I  am,  very  respectfully, 

"  W.  W.  WOODRUFF, 

"  Adjutant  I3th  Ky.  Vols." 


The  Adjutant's  letter  brought  a  relief  hardly  antici 
pated  in  those  times  of  war,  when  so  many  among  the 
sick  and  dying  could  not  be  cared  for  at  all.  Since  our 
boy  must  die,  that  so  many  kind  friends  were  ready  to 
give  him  every  necessary  attention  ;  that  a  grave,  too, 
should  be  kindly  made  ready  in  a  secure  private  burial- 
place — was  to  us,  as  a  family,  a  great  comfort.  We 
would  tender  to  these  friends  our  heart-felt  gratitude. 

The  officers  and  men  of  the  I3th  Kentucky  Regiment 
we  shall  not  forget.  Their  spiritual  welfare  lay  near  the 
heart  of  their  young  Chaplain.  Often,  when  writing 
home,  did  he  speak  of  them,  hoping  to  be  able  to  do 


them  good,  to  point  them  to  Christ  as  their  only 
Saviour  ;  regretting  that,  so  far,  so  few  opportunities 
had  been  offered  of  preaching  the  Gospel  to  them,  and 
meeting  with  them  for  prayer  and  praise. 

Subsequently  to  receiving  the  Adjutant's  letter  we 
learned,  through  other  friends,  that  after  his  arrival  at 
Munfordville  he  did  not  incline  to  talk  much — was 
rather  drowsy.  His  physical  strength,  however,  re 
mained  to  the  last.  The  morning  he  died,  he  walked 
from  his  couch  to  his  bed,  and  read  a  letter  he  had  just 
received.  It  does  not  seem  that  he  anticipated  death 
as  near,  but  said,  if  called  to  die  now,  he  was  ready  ; 
and  at  last,  when  told  that  death  was  at  the  door,  he 
accepted  the  message  without  alarm  ;  spoke  of  his 
clearest  earthly  ties ;  then  calmly  resigned  his  spirit 
into  the  hands  of  Him  who  crave  it. 

o 


The   following   lines   were    found    among    his   army 
papers : 


iiS 


"  I  shine  in  the  light  of  God  : 

His  likeness  stamps  my  brow ; 
Through  the  shadows    of  Death  my  feet  have 
•   trod, 

And  I  reign  in  glory  now ! 

"  I  have  found  the  joy  of  heaven, 

I  am  one  of  the  angel  band  ; 
To  my  head  a  crown  is  given, 

And  the  harp  is  in  my  hand. 

"  I  have  learned  the  song  they  sing, 

Whom  Jesus  hath  set  free  ; 
And  the  glorious  walls  of  heaven  now  ring 

With  my  new-born  melody. 

"  Friends  of  my  mortal  years, 

The  trusted  and  the  true, 
You're  walking  still  through  the  valley  of  tears, 

And  I  wait  to  welcome  you. 


"  And  why  should  your  tears  flow  down, 
And  your  hearts  be  sorely  riven, 

For  another  gem  in  your  Saviour's  crown, 
Another  soul  in  heaven  ?  " 


FROM    ROBERT   S.    MUNFORD,    ESQ.,    TO    WM\S    UNCLE. 
"  MUNFORDVILLE,  Dec.  3,   1862. 

"  REV.  MR.  JOHNSTON  : 

"DEAR  SIR  : — It  becomes  my  painful  duty  to  inform 
you  of  the  very  sudden  and  unexpected  death  of  your 
nephew,  Rev.  Wm.  C.  Johnston,  Chaplain  of  the  1 3th 
Ky.  Reg't  of  Infantry — Col.  Hobson.  It  is  now  about 
noon.  He  died  about  10  o'clock  to-day.  He  was 
brought  sick  to  my  boarding-house  on  Monday  morn 
ing  last,  and,  as  there  was  no  suitable  room  for  him 
here,  Capt.  Thompson  took  him  to  a  hotel,  where  he 
had  a  good  quiet  room  above  stairs,  and  every  neces 
sary  care  and  attention  given  him.  Capt.  Victor  and  a 
good  nurse  detached  from  the  regiment  attended  him 
night  and  day.  I  was  not  present  when  he  died.  The 
Rev.  J.  C.  Rush,  Chaplain  of  Col.  Grider's  regiment, 
informed  me  last  night  that  he  asked  him  a  few  minutes 
before  his  death  if  he  thought  himself  dangerously  ill. 
He  said  he  did  not.  Mr.  R.  then  informed  him  he  was 
dying.  He  received  the  word  with  a  great  deal  of  com 
posure  and  self-possession.  *  *  *  I  have  had  the  grave 
dug  in  our  family  burying-ground,  and  he  will  be  buried 
there  to-morrow  at  11  o'clock." 


120 


FROM    WM'S    UNCLE   TO    MR.    MUNFORD. 

"  PAINT  LICK,  Dec.  12,  '6?. 

"  MY  VERY  DEAR  SIR  :— Your  kind  letters  of  the  3d 
and  4th  inst.  reached  me  by  the  last  mail.  I  was  truly 
afflicted  by  the  sad  intelligence  you  sent  me.  We  had 
received  a  letter  from  William,  written  near  Gallatin, 
Term.,  a  few  weeks  ago,  full  of  life  and  devotion  to  the 
duties  of  his  office  in  the  army,  and  not  a  word  as  to 
his  being  sick  or  in  feeble  health.  Up  to  the  time  of 
receiving  your  letter  announcing  his  sudden  death,  I 
had  looked  upon  him  as  my  own  son,  and  of  course 
took  the  deepest  interest  in  him  and  in  all  his  pursuits, 
and  had  entertained  the  confident  hope  that  the  Spirit 
of  God  rested  on  him,  and  was  rapidly  preparing  him 
for  very  great  services  in  the  Lord's  vineyard. 

"  We  cannot  feel  any  mistrust  as  to  William's  present 
blessedness  in  the  presence  of  God  his  Saviour.  He 
lived  as  one  who  expected  to  die,  and  I  am  glad  to 
hear  from  you  that  he  met  death  calmly,  without  a 
fear." 


121 


From  a  cousin  : 

"  I  cannot  tell  you  with  what  grief  I  read  your  letter 
announcing  the  death  of  our  dear  William.  How  can 
his  country,  his  family,  or  his  friends  spare  him  ?  But 
it  is  not  for  us  to  question — Why? 

"  The  noble,  self-sacrificing  boy,  so  young  and  so 
gifted,  has  fallen  while  serving  his  country.  How  com 
forting  the  assurance  of  his  growing  devotedness  to  the 
cause  of  his  Divine  Master  !  His  life,  too,  is  convincing 
proof  of  his  preparation  for  the  change.  This  is  every 
thing.  I  think  you  have  the  greatest  cause  for  grati 
tude.  Your  family,  too,  in  this  hour  of  bereavement, 
all  know  where  to  go  for  consolation.  If  you  could  be 
together  now,  if  only  for  a  few  hours,  your  hearts  would 
be  cheered  and  strengthened.  But  this  cannot  be. 

"  E.  M.  P." 


From  his  grandfather  to  his  brother  and  sisters : 

"  Our  beloved  William,  much  as  we  loved  him,  must 
go  to  swell  the  number  of  those  who  are  sacrificed  for 
their  country's  cause.  He  was  lovely  in  his  life,  and 
his  memory  will  ever  be  precious  to  us  all.  I  was  ac 
quainted  with  him  by  short  visits,  and  the  more  I  saw 
of  him  the  more  I  loved  him,  and  it  appears  to  be  so 


122 


everywhere.  But  he  is  gone  where  sickness  and  sorrow 
can  never  enter  to  disturb  the  peace  and  happiness  of 
its  inhabitants.  " 


FROM   THE   LATE   REV.   J.    L.    OGDEN. 

"NEW  HAVEN,  CT.,  Dec.  16,  1862. 

"  Your  note,  giving  us  information  of  William's 
death,  was  duly  received,  and  filled  us  all  with  grief. 
His  mind  was  cultivated,  and  he  gave  promise  of  a 
useful  life,  a  comfort  to  his  parents,  and  a  blessing  to 
the  world.  But  God,  in  His  infinite  wisdom  and  good 
ness,  too,  has  taken  him  away.  I  know  how  difficult  it 
is  for  us  poor  imperfect  creatures  to  trust  that  all  is 
well,  and  that  the  best  thing  has  taken  place  which 
could  take  place.  It  is  hard  to  bring  these  wicked, 
faithless  hearts  of  ours  to  the  full  measure  of  that  con 
fidence  in  God,  which  leaves  all  things,  without  reserve, 
in  His  hands.  And  yet  this,  we  know,  is  not  only  our 
duty,  but  our  happiness. 

"  But,  though  we  know  this,  and  acknowledge  that 
God  has  done  His  will  and  done  it  right,  yet  the  heart 
feels  on,  and  cannot  rest.  This  is  the  natural  effect  of 
grief.  It  must  be  indulged  to  a  certain  extent.  We 


I23 


cannot  pen  up  the  overflowings  of  nature*  even  by  con 
siderations  of  evangelical  truth.  *  *  *  The  peaceable 
fruits  of  righteousness,  which  we  are  told  that  chastening 
yields,  are  not  at  the  time  of  our  greatest  suffering,  but 
'  afterward. '  When  affliction  first  overtakes  us,  we 
are  overwhelmed.  It  is  '  afterward,  '  when  we  have 
the  time  to  think  of  God  and  His  government,  and  to 
call  up  to  view  the  various  grounds  of  hope  and  com 
fort,  that  we  find  our  resignation  and  confidence. 

"  I  think  you  have  much  to  assuage  your  grief  in  the 
personal  character  of  Willie.  There  can  be  no  doubt 
that  he  is  at  rest.  The  time  will  come  in  your  exist 
ence  when  you  will  see  the  rectitude  and  wisdom  of 
God's  proceedings  in  the  present  case.  We  pray  for 
you  and  sympathize  with  you,  but  vain  is  the  help  of 
man.  God  only  can  put  under  you  His  everlasting 
arms,  and  keep  you  from  sinking  in  these  deep  waters." 


From  his  classmate,  Rev.  J.  L.  Daniels : 

"  He  loved  Old  Yale  with  a  hearty  love.  He  was  in 
terested  in  everything  pertaining  to  college.  Though 
absent  so  much  by  reason  of  teaching,  he  was  constantly 
rising  in  rank,  and  stood  much  above  the  average  rank 
of  his  classmates.  As  a  mathematician  he  was  among 


I24 

the  very  first.  Yet,  as  a  speaker  and  writer,  he  was 
most  eminent.  His  first  prizes  in  composition,  declama 
tion,  and  debate,  so  rarely  taken  by  the  same  person, 
testify  to  his  superiority  in  these  respects.  These 
talents,  coupled  with  his  warm  social  nature,  explain 
his  love  for  college  societies.  He  was  ardent  and  en 
thusiastic  in  them,  for  they  called  out  those  very  quali 
ties  which  he  possessed  to  such  an  unusual  degree. 
These  qualities,  added  to  the  still  rarer  ones,  of  an  hum 
ble  estimate  of  self,  and  freedom  from  envy,  made  him 
exceedingly  popular  in  his  class  and  college.  He  devel 
oped  very  rapidly.  No  man  in  the  class  improved  more 
rapidly  than  he.  *  *  And  what  pleased  me  more 
than  all,  was  the  knowledge  of  the  fact,  from  my  very 
intimate  acquaintance  with  him,  that  he  never  compro 
mised  conscience,  or  lowered  the  standard  of  duty.  He 
mingled  with  students  of  all  grades  of  character,  yet 
did  not  borrow  from  them  standards  of  action.  " 


Another  classmate,  David  J.  Ogden,  says : 

"  As  a  friend  he  was  firm  and  devoted,  possessing  the 
rare  virtue  of  entering  into  the  feelings  and  troubles  of 
others.  *  *  *  His  course  in  college  was  eminently 
brilliant,  bearing  off  more  honors  than  any  single  mem 
ber  of  his  large  class  of  one  hundred  and  eight.  Such, 


125 


however,  was  his  habitual  modesty,  that  his  unusual 
success  excited  no  ill  will  or  envy  among  his  classmates. 
They  all  admired  his  talents,  esteemed  his  virtues,  and 
loved  him  as  a  friend  and  brother. 

"  As  a  Christian  he  was  distinguished  for  the  strength 
of  his  convictions,  and  his  firm  adherence  to  duty. 
Consistent  and  irreproachable,  none  could  fail  to  see  the 
sincerity  and  unostentatious  simplicity  of  his  character 
and  life.  " 


"  ST.  HELENA,  S.  CA.,  Jan.  6,  1862. 

"  Last  Saturday  evening,"  says  a  classmate,  "  my 
wife  read  to  me  from  the  *  Independent '  the  sad,  sad 
notice  of  dear  Will's  death.  It  brought  to  my  eyes 
the  first  tears  they  have  known  for  a  long  time.  I  can 
not  realize  that  he  is  dead.  It  does  not  seem  that  I 
shall  not  grasp  his  hand  next  Commencement.  I  can't 
give  up  the  hope  which  has  given  me  so  much  joy,  that 
all  along  in  life  I  shall  now  and  then  meet  his  dear  face, 
and  enjoy  communion  with  him.  I  loved  Will  dearly." 

"  How  I  wish  I  could  comfort  you  !  Loving  classmates 
and  friends  in  New  Haven  must  have  spoken  words 
of  sympathy,  which  make  my  written  ones  sound 
cold  and  tame.  But  believe  me,  dear  friends,  I  fully 


126 


sympathize  with  you,  and  my  prayers  for  you  have  been 
earnest  and  frequent,  that  you  may  be  comforted  with 
Divine  consolation.  You  will  greatly  miss  him  as  a  son 
and  brother,  and  will  need  much  grace  to  feel  resigned 
to  the  loss  of  one  so  precious. 

"  E.  S.  WILLIAMS." 


From  his  uncle,  S.  L.  Howe : 

"  Oh,  how  my  heart  bleeds  for  you  and  yours  !  I  am 
sure  that  God  doeth  all  things  well.  Your  dear  son 
was  undoubtedly  ripe  for  heaven,  and  God  took  him  to 
swrell  the  joy  and  bliss  of  that  glorious  and  hallowed 
place.  This  was  done,  we  doubt  not,  for  the  greatest 
peace,  joy,  and  happiness  of  the  whole  universe  of 
God.  In  this  thought  may  you  be  comforted.  Life, 
at  best,  is  short ;  a  few  years,  more  or  less,  is  but  of 
little  consequence,  so  that  we  be  prepared  for  the  great 
change.  I  have  never  realized  this  so  much  as  since 
this  war  began ;  and  I  pray  God,  night  and  day,  that 
it  may  never  end  till  universal  liberty  may  be  per 
fectly  and  fully  established  wherever  the  Stars  and 
Stripes  wave. 

"  Your  son  is  dead — sacrificed  on  his  country's  altar 
— and  mine  may  be  dead,  also  ;  but  I  have  others  to 
offer,  and  myself,  too,  if  the  Lord  wills.  God  alone 


12; 


can  console  you  !  Go  to  Him.  Be  of  good  cheer. 
Heaven  will  fill  this  void  with  glories  which  eye  hath 
not  seen,  nor  ear  heard." 


A  friend  at  Salem,  Mass.,  says  : 

"  It  was  with  deep  sorrow  that  I  yesterday  heard  of 
Willie's  death,  and  read  a  copy  of  a  letter  from  the 
adjutant  of  his  regiment.  'Twas  pleasant  to  see  how 
they  all  loved  him,  as  a  Christian  and  as  a  man.  It 
was  the  first  of  my  knowing  that  Willie  was  in  the 
army,  and  a  chaplain,  too.  How  like  him  !  In  whatever 
place  he  occupied,  still  engaged  in  his  Master's  service. 
All  our  recollections  of  him  are  of  the  most  pleasant 
character;  and  all  are  deeply  pained  to  learn  of  his 
early  death,  though  we  are  constrained  to  say :  What  is 
our  loss  is  his  gain.  Oh,  what  a  blessed  comfort  it  is, 
in  losing  near  and  dear  friends,  to  feel  that  all  is  well 
with  them  ;  that  they  were  fully  prepared  to  go  !  It 
takes  away  much  of  the  pain  of  parting !  " 


From  a  friend  in  advanced  years  : 

"  I  feel  that  you  will  be  sustained  and  comforted  by 


128 


our  Heavenly  Father,  who  knows  what  is  best  for  his 
children.  Your  dear  son  was  spared  to  you  long  enough 
to  accomplish  the  great  business  of  life.  You  have  seen 
him  take  the  Saviour  as  his  friend  and  portion,  in  prefer 
ence  to  all  worldly  things.  You  have  witnessed  his 
godly  example  and  his  holy  influence  on  those  around 
him,  and  his  desire  to  go  forth  in  his  country's  defense, 
notwithstanding  the  dangers  that  awaited  him.  Then, 
most  of  all,  to  meet  the  messenger  of  death  with  such 
calmness.  God  grant  that  this  great  trial  may  be  sanc 
tified  to  you  all !  *  *  Deep  sorrow  gathered  in  our 
hearts  as  we  heard  of  the  decease  of  your  beloved  son. 
We  ever  felt,  when  Willie  was  with  us,  that,  our  cup  of 
pleasure  was  mingled  with  an  unusual  fullness.  We  all 
loved  him — loved  his  noble  principles,  his  intelligent 
conversation,  his  Christian  spirit,  and  many  times  is  he 
now  referred  to.  Often,  as  he  passed  and  re-passed 
through  the  parlor  and  hall,  did  we  hear  him  sing  some 
heavenly  song;  and  among  the  number,  and  perhaps 
the  oftenest  : 

14  '  Oh,  sing  to  me  of  heaven, 

When  I'm  about  to  die; 
Sing  songs  of  holy  ecstasy, 
To  waft  my  soul  on  high.  ' 

"And    now   his    disenthralled    and    happy  spirit    is 


I29 


winging  its   way  on  pinions   of  love  toward   the  great 
center  of  heavenly  bliss. 

"  W.  W.  " 


From   Mrs.   M.   G.   Benjamin,   who  knew  him  from 
childhood : 

"  Your  dear  William  gone;  cut  off  in  all  his  prom 
ise  ;  with  all  his  bright  youthful  hopes  and  energies 
fresh  ;  so  full  as  he  was  of  life  !  I  can  hardly  realize  it ; 
and  you  mourning  the  first  breach  that  death  has  made 
in  your  family  !  My  heart  aches  for  you,  my  dear  sister, 
and  I  would  fain  speak  some  words  of  comfort  to  your 
stricken  heart.  But  you  have  higher  consolations — a 
Friend  that  can  sustain  and  comfort,  when  human 
sympathy  and  love  are  felt  to  be  of  little  avail  ;  and  I 
trust  that  Friend  is  near  you,  sitting  with  you,  as  He 
did  with  the  mourners,  at  Bethany.  Dear  William  ! 
All  my  recollections  of  him  are  so  pleasant ;  and  so  all 
his  friends  may  say ;  for  a  lovelier  natural  disposition  was 
never  combined  with  finer  mental  powers,  and  energy, 
and  determination  of  purpose  than  in  his  character ; 
and  when  the  grace  of  God  sanctified  all  these  natural 
9 


130 


traits,  and  superadded  an  earnest  piety,  we  had  reason 
to  look  for  the  accomplishment  of  much  good  in  the 
world  through  him.  But  he  has  not  lived  in  vain  ;  his 
short  life  has  left  an  impression  that  will  not  be  lost  on 
all  who  knew  him  ;  and  ripened  thus  early  for  heaven, 
his  fine  powers  of  mind  and  soul  have  entered  on  the 
higher  and  more  perfect  praise  and  service  of  that 
world.  But,  oh,  your  sorrow  is  heavy.  I  do,  indeed, 
know  the  *  aching  heart.'  You  have  the  sweetest  com 
fort  you  could  have,  under  such  a  trial,  in  the  sure  evi 
dence  his  life  of  devoted  piety  gave  of  his  full  prepara 
tion  for  heaven. 

"  I  think  of  you  with  most  tender  sympathy,  and  I 
feel  much  for  the  brother  and  sisters.  Frontis  will  feel  it, 
and  it  will  be  a  severe  blow  to  his  father,  if  the  news 
reaches  him.  Our  poor  country  !  How  many  Rachels 
are  weeping  like  you  ;  but  not  all  have  your  consola 
tions  in  their  sorrow.  A  dark  day  this  is. " 


61  Your  note,"  says  a  friend,  "  calls  pleasantly  to  my 
remembrance  your  noble  departed  son  William,  and  it 
also  calls  to  mind  most  sadly  the  vacancy  created  in 
your  family  circle,  by  his  sudden  call  to  heavenly  scenes. 
He  was  ever  a  joy  and  a  comfort  to  his  friends,  and  had 
gone  directly  and  manfully  to  work  in  his  Master's 
cause,  even  while  preparing  himself  for  more  extended 


usefulness.  I  well  know  what  a  main-stay  he  was  in 
your  household,  and  how  much  his  natural  cheerfulness 
lightened  dark  days.  Truly,  we  have  here  no  abiding 
city,  but  we  seek  one  to  come,  and  the  knowledge  of 
that  is  a  glorious  knowledge. 

"  W.  B.  D." 


From  Mr.  Wilson,  of  Greensburg,  Ky. : 

"  Our  house  was  Mr.  Johnston's  home  when  here. 
He  was  as  one  of  the  family,  dearly  beloved  by  every 
member.  His  death  cast  a  gloom  over  this  entire  com 
munity.  We  considered  him,  at  the  time  of  his  death, 
as  the  pastor  of  our  church.  No  minister  of  his  age 
could  have  had  more  friends  than  he  had.  Young, 
talented,  patriotic,  and  a  devoted  Christian,  it  was  hard 
to  give  him  up.  When  the  army  was  returning  to 
Nashville,  Mr.  Johnston  and  a  number  of  the  I3th 
Ky.  returned  by  this  place,  and  remained  at  their 
homes  about  three  days.  This  was  the  last  time  we 
ever  saw  or  heard  our  beloved  brother  Johnston  preach. 
The  sermon  he  delivered  that  Sabbath  to  a  very  large 
and  attentive  audience,  will  never  be  forgotten  by  his 
hearers.  " 


132 
Mrs.  Wilson  adds  : 

"  The  morning  he  left,  I  prepared  a  bundle  for  him 
of  such  eatables  as  I  thought  he  would  relish,  knowing 
that  soldiers'  fare,  even  the  best,  was  indifferent. 
When  we  told  him  good-bye,  how  little  did  we  think  it 
would  be  for  the  last  time  !  " 

"  Dec.  i4th,  1862. 

"  It  is  but  two  days, "  says  a  classmate,  "  since  I 
heard  the  sad  news  of  the  death  of  William.  The 
particulars,  I  hope,  may  soon  reach  us  ;  but  whether 
they  do  or  not,  I  shall  rest  in  the  assurance  that  his 
death,  like  his  life,  was  a  noble  one ;  for  we  die  as  we 
live. 

"  I  write  to  express  my  sympathy  with  you,  and  my 
esteem  and  love  for  William.  Though  you  knew  of  the 
friendship  that  had  grown  up  between  us,  yet  I  doubt 
if  you  were  at  all  aware  how  strong  it  had  become. 
William  was  my  dearest  classmate.  Of  the  one  hundred 
and  eight,  there  were  many  warm  friends  whom  I  shall 
never  cease  to  love  ;  but  he  was  dearest  of  all.  He  was  so 
simple,  frank,  generous,  amiable,  noble-hearted,  and 
manly,  that  my  soul  was  knit  to  him  as  David's  was  to 
Jonathan.  How  sacred  are  the  memories  that  cling  to 


133 


him  !  The  places  associated  with  him  are  many  and  dear. 
His  home,  which  was  always  enlivened  by  his  presence  ; 
my  old  room,  where  he  so  often  visited  me  ;  the  society 
halls,  which  he  always  adorned  ;  the  prayer  meeting, 
where  he  spoke  and  prayed  ;  the  long  and  well-remem 
bered  walks,  when  we  were  so  free  and  frank  with  each 
other.  What  a  comfort  it  is  to  me,  and  what  a  com 
fort  it  must  be  to  you,  to  look  back  upon  so  lovely  and 
noble  a  life.  The  tears  moisten  my  eyes,  when  I  think 
of  him  as  cut  off  in  the  freshness  of  youth,  with  the 
prospects  which  his  talents  and  character  seemed  to 
warrant,  all  blasted.  But,  when  I  think  of  the  life  he 
lived,  and  the  example  he  has  left  us,  I  am  thankful  to 
my  Heavenly  Father  that  He  ever  gave  me  such  a 
friend  to  love.  His  very  death  is  an  incentive  to  me  to 
lead  a  more  useful  life.  I  pray  that  it  maybe  sanctified 
to  us  all. 

"J.  L.  D." 


His  class,  at  their  triennial  meeting,  held  at  New 
Haven,  July  2gth,  1863,  offered  the  following  tribute 
to  his  memory  : 

"  That  in  the  death  of  WILLIAM  C.  JOHNSTON  we 
have  lost  a  sincere  and  warm-hearted  friend,  whose 


134 


frankness  and  generosity,  coupled  with  rare  talents  and 
a  child-like  Christian  faith,  had  endeared  him  to  us  by 
the  most  tender  and  sacred  ties.  That  we  honor  his 
name  and  cherish  his  memory  for  the  self-sacrificing 
spirit  which  led  him  to  give  up  his  long-cherished 
hopes,  and  bid  farewell  to  the  most  flattering  prospects 
of  usefulness  and  happiness,  just  as  they  were  within 
his  grasp,  in  order  that  he  might  serve  the  country  and 
cause  he  so  dearly  loved.  That  we  sympathize  deeply 
with  the  near  and  dear  ones  who  mourn  his  early 
death,  and  we  earnestly  pray  that  the  mysterious 
affliction  which  has  removed  him  on  whom  they  leaned, 
and  in  whom  their  hopes  centered,  may  be  tempered 
by  infinite  mercy  to  their  sad  and  lonely  hearts." 


A  suitable  monument  has  been  erected  over  his  grave 
by  the  kindness  and  efforts  of  the  officers  of  the  I3th 
Reg't  Ky.  Vols. 

We  are  again  indebted  to  Mr.  Munford  for  the  valu 
able  services  tendered  in  superintending  the  erection  of 
this  monument. 

We  must  now  leave  that  which  was  mortal  of  our 
once  animated,  buoyant  William,  lifeless  in  the  cold 


135 

grave  at  Munfordville,  and  follow  his  spirit  upward,  to 
mansions  prepared  for  those  who  love  God. 

If  the  great  company  of  weeping  mothers  in  our 
land  —  weeping  because  their  sons  are  not  —  were  asked, 
"  Is  the  Country's  life  worth  the  price  ?  "  their  sorrow 
ing  hearts  might  not  be  able  to  say  "  Yes  ;  "  but  a  voice 
from  the  grave  might  respond  for  them,  "  It  is  worth  the 
price  you  have  given."  Notwithstanding  the  blood 
flowed  freely,  and  the  Country's  life  is  above  price,  yet 
our  hearts  know  in  bitterness  we  give  a  priceless  price. 
Let  bereaved  mothers,  and  fathers,  too,  and  all  people 
who  lift  their  hearts  to  God,  pray  and  labor  that  war 
may  cease,  that  peace  and  righteousness  may  reign 
throughout  our  world. 

At  the  request  of  his  grandfather,  a  funeral  sermon 
was  delivered  in  Granville,  O.,  on  the  2 1st  Dec.,  1869. 
by  his  nephew,  Rev.  Timothy  W.  Howe,  of  Petaskala, 
O.  We  give  an  extract  from  the  closing  remarks  of 
the  sermon.  The  text  may  be  found  Psalms,  cxvi,  15. 


136 


"  With  the  Christian's  last  enemy,  the  great  battle 
was  fought  on  the  field  of  Calvary.  The  prince  of  life 
and  glory  met  him  there,  and  turning  his  own  weapons 
against  him,  vanquished  him.  True,  indeed,  the  victor 
died,  for  it  was  by  death  alone  that  death  could  be 
overcome.  But  the  victory,  the  conquest,  was  thereby 
none  the  less  complete,  none  the  less  glorious.  Every 
victory  over  death,  since  that  eventful  triumph,  has 
been  but  the  fruit  of  that  first  glorious  victory  ! 

"  It  is  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  who,  having  first  gained, 
now  giveth  us  the  victory.  The  Apostle  John  saw  in 
vision  '  a  great  multitude  which  no  man  can  number,' 
who  had  through  him  triumphed  over  death.  Had  we 
been  present,  when  he,  whose  funeral  rites  we,  this  day, 
celebrate,  met  the  king  of  terrors,  it  need  not  be 
doubted,  from  what  we  know  of  his  manner  of  life,  that 
we  should  have  witnessed  another  triumph.  We  can 
conceive  how  it  was.  There  appeared,  methinks,  no 
conflict  in  the  case,  death  made  no  show  of  resistance. 
He  seemed  to  give  up  at  once,  he  did  not  even  look 
formidable.  The  victor  remembered  Calvary,  and  we 
apprehend  death  remembered  it,  too. 

"  In  fact,  he  has  never  recovered  his  spirit  to  terrify 
believers,  since  that  memorable  conflict  on  Calvary, 
which  proved  so  disastrous  to  his  cause  ;  and  he  never 
will.  Our  young  brother  had  much  to  live  for  ;  he  was 
of  that  age  to  which,  of  all  others,  the  world  presents 


137 


the  greatest  allurements,  the  strongest  attractions.  His 
kindred,  the  Church  of  God,  and  a  bleeding  country,  all 
were  calling  loudly  for  his  strongest  sympathies,  and 
devoted  services.  And  most  manfully  and  magnani 
mously  was  he  responding  to  these  imperious  calls. 
But  there  was  a  voice  to  be  heard  above  them  all,  say 
ing,  '  Come  up  higher,'  and  who  can  doubt  that  the 
love  of  life  left  him,  as  he  heard  this  summons,  and  that 
the  fear  of  death  departed  ?  By  nature  he  loved  this 
life,  and  by  grace  he  loved  life  eternal.  That  death 
scene  was  sorrowful  and  gloomy,  but  the  sorrow  and 
gloom  were  manifested  by  those  only  who  surrounded 
his  dying  couch.  He  was  calm  and  composed.  In 
his  case,  as  in  all  cases  of  true  believers,  death  suffered 
a  defeat ;  indeed,  was  swallowed  up  in  victory.  Can 
such  victories  be  ascribed  to  nature  ?  By  no  means. 
Are  they  the  triumphs  of  philosophy  ?  Certainly  not. 
They  are  the  achievements  of  heavenly  grace  alone.  It 
is  the  religion  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  which  van 
quishes,  which  overcomes,  and  which  triumphs  in  death. 
This  glorifies  the  Lord  of  Glory  and  renders  '  the 
death  of  the  saints  precious  in  the  sight  of  the  Lord.' 
'  The  death  of  his  saints  '  glorifies  the  Lord  by  its  in 
fluence  on  surviving  relatives  and  friends. 

"  The  hand  of  the  Lord  is  laid  upon  them  heavily,  and 
they  realize  it ;  they  call  for  sympathy.  But  the  Lord 
himself  becomes  their  refuge  in  such  trials.  The  name 


138 


of  the  Lord  they  find  to  be  a  strong  tower,  into  which 
they  may  enter  and  be  safe  from  the  power  of  affliction. 
When  Christians  feel  right,  they  can  adopt  the  language 
of  Job :  '  The  Lord  gave,  and  the  Lord  hath  taken 
away,  and  blessed  be  the  name  of  the  Lord.' — '  Though 
he  slay  me,  yet  will  I  trust  in  him.'  Such  declarations 
of  faith,  such  exhibitions  of  submission  to  the  will  of 
God,  honor  and  glorify  the  riches  of  His  grace  in  the 
sight  of  an  unbelieving  world. 

"  We  can  see  what  strong  ground  for  comfort  is  af 
forded  to  the  parents  and  kindred  in  the  early  removal 
by  death  of  one  so  dear.  Though  young  in  years,  Wil 
liam  seemed  ripe  in  experience.  We  can  adopt  the 
language  of  Dr.  Young  with  all  sincerity  in  regard  to 
him,  '  Many  fall  as  sudden,  not  as  safe.' 


"  *  Servant  of  God,  well  done  ! 

Rest  from  thy  loved  employ : 
The  battle  fought,  the  victory  won, 

Enter  thy  Master's  joy. 


"  '  Soldier  of  Christ,  well  done  ! 

Praise  be  thy  new  employ  ; 
And  while  eternal  ages  run, 
Rest  in  thy  Saviour's  joy.' ' 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY, 
BERKELEY 


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UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  IvIBRARY 


